Paul George Acquisition May Encourage MVP Russell Westbrook to Stay Long-Term With Oklahoma City Thunder
Westbrook's current contract with the Thunder goes through the 2017-18 season with a player option for 2018-19
Russell Westbrook is the fiery, snarling face of the Oklahoma City Thunder. And thanks to a recent move, there is a chance that he will stay in that role for many years to come.
For fans who may have missed it, the Thunder pulled off a shocker by acquiring star swingman Paul George from the Indiana Pacers.
According to a recent report from ESPN, the Thunder were able to acquire George in exchange for guard Victor Oladipo and forward Domantas Sabonis.
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The deal is not without risk for the Thunder. Though they did land the best player in the deal, there is a chance that they may have given up players under contract for a long time in exchange for one who could leave after the next season.
George's interest in joining the Los Angeles Lakers is well-documented, and he will have the opportunity to move to that team once he becomes an unrestricted free agent next summer.
Still, the risk may be worth it for the Thunder, not just because it makes them a better team for the 2017-18 season, but also because of the impression it may leave on Westbrook, the NBA's recently minted regular season MVP.
By making such a bold move, the team's decision-makers are showing Westbrook that they are willing to take chances in order to make the roster around him even better. Even if this move ultimately does not pan out, just that expression of commitment to getting better may appeal to Westbrook's highly competitive nature.
Furthermore, if the team improves significantly and makes waves in the playoffs next year, George may even become interested in coming back and signing a new contract, and that can only help the cause of keeping Westbrook in Oklahoma City as well.
The Oklahoma City Thunder just made the 2017-18 NBA season way more interesting, and in the process, they may have also given themselves a better shot at making sure Russell Westbrook will remain part of the team for a long, long time.
