Oklahoma City Thunder give Russell Westbrook richest NBA contract and he’s worth every penny

The Oklahoma City Thunder and Russell Westbrook agreed to the largest contract in NBA history and he will prove to be worth every penny.

The Oklahoma City Thunder have had arguably the best offseason of any franchise in the NBA.

They were able to snag two superstars via trade in Paul George and Carmelo Anthony. Both will upgrade the Thunder’s roster now, give them future flexibility and cost very little. However, the Thunder saved the best move for last.

While adding players as talented as George and Anthony is great, the best thing the Thunder did this offseason was convince Russell Westbrook to commit to the organization long-term.

On Friday, Westbrook agreed to a monster contract extension with OKC in the form of a five-year, $205 million extension.

Russell Westbrook has agreed to a five-year, $205M contract extension with OKC, league sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 29, 2017

This is the same designated player veteran extension we saw James Harden and John Wall sign earlier in the offseason, but their deals are not as lucrative as Westbrook’s.

When you add that onto his current deal, Westbrook is playing on a six-year deal worth more than $233 million. That means that Westbrook has the richest contract in the history of the NBA, one he has earned and will make worthwhile for Oklahoma City.

OKC and its fans were sweating earlier in the offseason. Westbrook was not giving any indication about which direction he was leaning in regards to the contract extension. With rumors swirling about Westbrook potentially being swayed to leave in free agency next summer, people were rightfully nervous.

Westbrook put to rest any doubt about his future by signing this massive extension. He will be in Oklahoma City for the long haul.

In a statement, Westbrook let it be known how excited he is to be in OKC. There was no place he would rather be, he said, adding that he was honored to be with the Thunder.

"“When you play in Oklahoma City you play in front of the best fans in the world, I’m looking forward to bringing everything I’ve got, for them, this city and for this organization. WHY NOT?”"

This is a no-brainer extension from the Thunder’s point of view. After the last offseason, when Kevin Durant departed for the Golden State Warriors, they could not afford to lose Westbrook.

Russ had always said that he wanted to stay in Oklahoma City, but until a deal was official, fans and the organization alike were nervous about him departing. Now he is staying, and they couldn’t be happier.

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When you are able to keep an MVP for multiple seasons, everyone will be happy. Westbrook was a monster last season, averaging a triple-double for the season and taking home MVP honors. He has developed into quite a leader on the court, demanding the most from his teammates.

While his playing style rubs some people the wrong way, there is no denying the Thunder are thankful to have him. The NBA is a superstar-driven league, and they now have theirs locked up through the 2022-23 season.

Westbrook will prove he is worth the large sum of money on the court. He produces absurd statistics night in and night out. Off the court, Westbrook will also prove his worth.

Getting Westbrook signed to a long-term deal will benefit the front office greatly. When hitting free agency and trying to convince players to come to Oklahoma City, they will not have to answer questions about whether Westbrook will be there; anyone considering the Thunder knows there is an MVP-caliber player already in place.

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Westbrook is one of the biggest stars currently in the NBA. It was imperative for the Thunder to retain him for the long haul, and they accomplished that Friday afternoon. You can be sure that Westbrook will prove he is worth every penny throughout the length of the contract.