OTD in 2019: OKC Thunder Traded Superstar Russell Westbrook to Houston

July 11, 2019: Houston #Rockets acquired PG Russell Westbrook from the Oklahoma City #Thunder for PG Chris Paul and a wealth of draft picks. Houston then traded Westbrook to DC for John Wall a year later while OKC traded CP3 to Phoenix a year later as wellhttps://t.co/W4ePaND9RS
— Pro Sports Outlook (@PSO_Sports) July 11, 2021

The Oklahoma City Thunder could have had one of the deadliest three-headed monsters of all time if they managed to keep James Harden, Kevin Durant, and Russell Westbrook together. On October 27, 2012, OKC sent Harden to Houston Rockets feeling they would be unable to agree during contract negotiations. On June 7, 2016, Kevin Durant opted to sign with the team that eliminated OKC from the previous postseason; the Golden State Warriors. Finally, in 2019, the Thunder traded 9x All-Star Russell Westbrook to the Rockets.

It was difficult to watch OKC’s core slowly drift apart, but after receiving a boatload of draft picks in exchange for Westbrook and Paul George, the franchise’s future was bright. Led by Chris Paul, who they received via the Westbrook trade, OKC’s relatively young squad shocked the NBA after earning the fifth seed in the West. Paul and Westbrook found themselves on the move again the next season with CP3 being traded to Phoenix and Westbrook being sent to the Wizards for John Wall.