Kevin Durant is once again missing time with injury, but his latest absence has allowed fans of the Oklahoma City Thunder and all around the NBA to witness an incredible run by Russell Westbrook. The superstar point guard has put up five triple-doubles in his past six games, and his play over the last several weeks has thrust him onto the short list of potential Most Valuable Player candidates.
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According to SportsGrid, Westbrook's run of excellent play may also give the Thunder the confidence to part ways with their other superstar. Thunder general manager Sam Presti hates the thought of losing a player and getting nothing in return (a mindset that contributed to the horrendous decision to trade James Harden), so if it begins to seem likely that Durant may leave as a free agent in 2016, as many rumors already suggest, then Presti may elect to trade the reigning MVP.
"I think this burst from Westbrook makes it much more likely that Durant ultimately gets traded next year," said ESPN analyst Tom Penn. "Sam Presti has proven that he does not ever want to lose anybody for nothing. So he traded James Harden a year early to avoid a potential luxury tax problem a year later."
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"The Kevin Durant drumbeat next year is going to be so loud because he will not commit early to Oklahoma City contractually because the rules are against that," Penn continued. "He can't get the same contract if he signs early as if he just goes to free agency and re-signs.
So if Sam Presti doesn't get that commitment, he'll look to trade Kevin Durant. And looking at the performance of Westbrook and the team around Westbrook will make it easier for him to do that potentially."
On the one hand, it hardly makes sense to trade away the player that many think is poised to inherit the "best in the league" title when LeBron inevitably slows down (which some think he may already be doing). However, many teams would likely surrender a king's ransom in a trade to get Durant, so the Thunder may be able to remain a contender if they draft wisely.
Ultimately, it will boil down to whether or not Presti thinks Durant will re-sign. But if not, then seeing Westbrook play like a legitimate alpha dog in Durant's absence will surely help embolden Presti to pull the trigger on a Durant deal.
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