Mike Ehrmann/Getty
Russell Westbrook will be staying in Oklahoma City for the foreseeable future.
On Friday, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Westbrook signed a five-year, $205 million extension with the Thunder.
The extension gives Westbrook the biggest contract in NBA history, $233 million over six years when combined with his $28.5 million salary this season, according to Wojnarowski.
The extension had reportedly been on the table for most of the offseason. Westbrook had said he wanted to remain in Oklahoma City, but some mystery remained about why he had not signed it.
If Westbrook was waiting to see how the Thunder would rebound following the loss of Kevin Durant in 2016, he got a convincing answer this summer. Over the course of three months, the Thunder traded for Paul George and Carmelo Anthony, giving up just Enes Kanter, Victor Oladipo, Domantas Sabonis, Doug McDermott, and second-round pick in exchange. It may not be a perfect or deep group, but it’s nonetheless a super-team that figures to help the Thunder get past the first round of the playoffs.
As Wojnarowski noted, in 2016, Westbrook signed a three-year extension with the Thunder, assuring he wouldn’t flee immediately in the wake of Durant’s decision. That security allowed the Thunder to pursue George and Anthony this summer.
Westbrook’s extension not only assures the Thunder will remain relevant for years to come, it could help them this coming summer. The risk in trading for George and Anthony is that both can leave in free agency next summer. Oklahoma City is not a small market and typically has trouble attracting top free agents. With Westbrook in place, a successful season could help the team retain one of Anthony and George, if not both.
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