In a move that caught the majority of the basketball world by complete surprise, the Oklahoma City Thunder have agreed to a blockbuster trade that will send Russell Westbrook to the Houston Rockets.
For the last several years and counting, Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey has never played the role of bashful suitor when it comes to pursuing superstar talent.
In an offseason that marked the five-year anniversary of acquiring James Harden via trade from the Oklahoma City Thunder, the 46-year-old analytics guru played an integral part in helping the Rockets acquire Chris Paul in a surprise sign-and-trade deal with the Los Angeles Clippers prior to the start of free agency in 2017.
Now, the 2018 Executive of the Year has managed to successfully strike again, as the man who missed out on landing Jimmy Butler twice will now reunite The Beard with one of his best friends.
On a night that marked exactly seven years from when the Rockets dealt Kyle Lowry for a first round pick they would use to seize the face of the franchise, Houston landed the services of Russell Westbrook in yet another scintillating blockbuster trade with Oklahoma City. The Rockets will add Russ in exchange for Paul, two future first round draft picks and two pick swaps, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Royce Young.
"“We’re excited to have Russell Westbrook,” Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta told Mark Berman of Fox 26 Houston. “This franchise just had the two years with the most wins it’s ever had in consecutive years and we wouldn’t have accomplished that without Chris Paul…he’s gonna be sadly missed. “I said at the end of the year we’re never gonna stand pat. We’re always gonna try to get better. I think this makes us a better team.”"
Can the two players who started their careers together and rose to MVP status during their time apart find a way to silence the critics in H-Town? Here are three reasons why Westbrook makes for a solid fit in Clutch City.