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NBA Trade Rumors: Russell Westbrook Should Stay With OKC

By Maxwell Ogden

Mar 28, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) reacts after dunking against the Toronto Raptors at the Air Canada Centre. Oklahoma City defeated Toronto 119-100. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 28, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) reacts after dunking against the Toronto Raptors at the Air Canada Centre. Oklahoma City defeated Toronto 119-100. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports /
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Risky as it may be, Sam Presti and the Oklahoma City Thunder should go all-in on keeping Russell Westbrook around—and Westbrook should be just as interested.

Mar 28, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) reacts after dunking against the Toronto Raptors at the Air Canada Centre. Oklahoma City defeated Toronto 119-100. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 28, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) reacts after dunking against the Toronto Raptors at the Air Canada Centre. Oklahoma City defeated Toronto 119-100. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports /

Letting a superstar walk in free agency without getting some form of compensation is a cardinal sin. If an unrestricted free agent doesn’t commit to re-signing, then it’s often in a team’s best interest to trade them for a productive return.

True as that may be, the Oklahoma City Thunder shouldn’t be so quick to pull the trigger on dealing All-NBA point guard Russell Westbrook.

Rumors have been running rampant that Oklahoma City is hoping to trade Westbrook in the near future. This follows the shocking development of Kevin Durant spurning Oklahoma City to join the team it lost to in the 2016 NBA Playoffs: the Golden State Warriors.

Brian Windhorst of ESPN is one of the many reporters who have provided the information that Oklahoma City is fielding trade offers for Westbrook.

"One option the team is considering is attempting to renegotiate and extend the contract of Westbrook before he can become a free agent after next season, sources told ESPN. If Westbrook chooses not to extend his contract this summer, multiple league executives told ESPN they believe the Thunder will consider fielding trade offers for Westbrook."

In the immortal words of Lee Corso: not so fast, my friend.

Trading Westbrook may be the rational move, but in times like these, a little irrationality may pay off. Westbrook is already one of the greatest players in franchise history, and at 27 years of age, is just now entering his prime.

For both Westbrook and the Thunder, the best move would be to stay together for 2016-17—and potentially beyond.

Next: So Much Potential

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