NBA Rumors: Why OKC Thunder Need to Lock Up Russell Westbrook to an Extension

The Oklahoma City Thunder need to sign Russell Westbrook to an extension and they need to do it ASAP.

Russell Westbrook has been a key component thus far in the young core of players that the Oklahoma City Thunder is building. In just his third year in the NBA, Westbrook reached his first All-Star game and was named 2nd Team All-NBA. Not bad for a 23-year-old.

Despite averaging 21.9 points and 8.2 assists last season, Westbrook has been criticized heavily by just about everyone, specifically about his shoot-first attitude in last year's playoffs. He has been deemed a ball-hog who cannot accept No. 2 status behind Kevin Durant.

This has led many to declare that the Thunder should rid themselves of Westbrook and his "bad" attitude, perhaps by trading him for Chris Paul. Those who are proponents of that mindset are wrong.

The idea that Westbrook can't coexist with Durant is a narrow-minded one. The duo have lead a young team to 105 wins over the past two seasons and to a Western Conference Finals appearance last year.

In Westbrook's rookie year, the Thunder won just 23 games, with many questioning whether the young Westbrook would be a bust after having been drafted at fourth overall in the 2008 NBA Draft. Now Westbrook has become one of the 10 best players in the NBA. Yet, he is still questioned.

Westbrook does have faults. He can appear to be too headstrong and ball-hoggish at times, which is magnified by the fact that he shares the court with the greatest scorer in the world. However, he is young and will improve.

In fact, he's shown a willingness to work on his game and continue to improve already in his young career.

According to SI.com, Westbrook has been working with Rob McClanaghan during the offseason and lockout. McClanaghan is the trainer that Derrick Rose worked with prior to last season (not a coincidence that he won the MVP).

McClanaghan has been working with Westbrook on the exact things his offensive game is lacking: his intermediate jump shot (he shot 26.6 percent from three to nine feet out), a floater and his post game.

Westbrook is making himself into an even better player, which is scary considering how good he's already become. Unlike many perimeter players, he is showing a willingness to use his size (6'3", 190 pounds) and athleticism to exploit the smaller defenders he often faces with a post game.

This young player's game is improving physically, but it will also improve mentally. He is a young player, who is still figuring out the NBA game and his role in it. He and Durant have the potential to make a dynamic duo that will terrorize the NBA for years to come.

Despite what fans and analysts who have never met Westbrook say about his character, it's clear that the Thunder wants to extend him as soon as possible. According to GM Sam Presti who drafted Westbrook and has been with him ever since, Westbrook is a solid person and has taken a "real disciplined approach" to his development as a player.

Ultimately, I would ask those who question Westbrook's character and abilities this question: what do you have to base it on? The small sampling size of last year's playoffs, when Westbrook was on the biggest stage of his life and tried to do too much by himself?

Sam Presti and the Thunder coaches see Westbrook every day. They know how he acts in practices and games and how hard he works behind the scenes. Should we really question their feelings on this player, especially considering that they have built this young team into the title contender we see today?

The truth is that Westbrook's talent ceiling is still completely unknown. His potential is too high to risk losing. The pros with him are so high and the cons are overblown.

The Thunder must keep this guy with Durant. He's one of the best players in the NBA and, although he is headstrong and tries to do too much on his own at times, he has the potential to be an all-time great.