Russell Westbrook is raising his stock and is transforming Oklahoma City Thunder into a formidable NBA Western Conference dark horse come playoff time.
Just recently, he recorded his fourth straight triple double, a feat that only Michael Jordan has achieved. Since Feb. 19 when teammate Kevin Durant sat out due to injury, Westbrook scored 30 or more six times and 40 or more three times. While the most recent NBA All-Star MVP's more improved play is a welcome development for the OKC community, this could trigger a bad scenario, like a possible Kevin Durant trade in the future.
In an interview with Colin Cowherd, Tom Penn, former Portland Trailblazers vice-president and now an ESPN analyst said Kevin Durant trade will likely happen with the way Russell Westbrook is playing lately.
"I think this burst from Westbrook makes it likelier - much more likely - that Durant ultimately gets traded next year," Penn said.
The ESPN analyst even compared next year's Kevin Durant trade scenarios to James Harden's a few years ago. As you can remember, the current Houston Rockets star was let go by the Thunder due to salary cap and tax problem.
"Sam Presti has proven that he does not ever want to lose anybody for nothing," Penn revealed. "He traded James Harden a year early to avoid a potential luxury tax problem a year later. The Kevin Durant drumbeat next year is going to be so loud ... he will not commit early to OKC because the rules are against that."
How can OKC fend off Kevin Durant trade offers?
"If Sam Presti doesn't that get that commitment, he'll look to trade Kevin Durant. Looking at the performance of Westbrook and the team around Westbrook will make it easier for him to do that, potentially."
Just recently, reports claimed the New York Knicks is jumping on the Kevin Durant trade by offering Carmelo Anthony.
OKC, however, refuted this and insisted Durantula is not going anywhere.
