A very tough Fourth of July in the state of Oklahoma. The face of the city has left to play on an All-Star team based in Oakland. But let’s be big boys here, this is our culture and the world we live in regarding professional sports in America. This was not about money with Durant from my view. To me, it was more about he and his handlers calibrating his best chance to win some NBA championships and I’m sure Jerry West was brilliant using his career as a Laker to connect with Kevin Durant concerning this. I like Jerry West so you’re never going to hear me trash him.
None of us really have the right to judge Kevin Durant because in a better, more fair world the team which plays in Oklahoma City probably never should have been removed from Seattle. Oklahoma City has proven itself a great NBA city and will now need to rise to the occasion. But trust me when I write this–this is what makes Oklahomans special as people. Their inner toughness to overcome adversity. Oklahoma is a tough ass place to live and the people who live here reflect that very mental toughness. Plus, there is an inherit fairness in the people which will translate into most of us realizing how fortunate we were to have Kevin Durant here for the time he was. The people are what make Oklahoma special and this comes from a guy born in the glamour city of San Diego.
Having written that I still think what he just did is one of the weakest ass things I’ve seen in sport in my fifty-eight years, but it’s not my life and it wasn’t my decision. It’s Kevin Durant’s life and the best of luck to him as he finds himself as a young man taking on the journey of life. I hope people on both sides of this don’t end up embarrassing themselves on social media.
So—what should Sam Presti do now? I think the first thing might need to do is have a talk with Russell Westbrook and politely ask what his chances are of staying on in OKC beyond this season?
If Westbrook answers that he’s probably gone at the conclusion of this season then Presti cannot do what he just with Durant and allow the Thunder to not get any players and draft picks in return. This cannot happen again.
Cap space doesn’t mean that much in OKC because star players are not coming here thru free agency. The team has to be rebuilt through the draft and shrewd deals like we just saw with the Oladipo-Sabonis trade with two players still on rookie scale contracts who can be retained in restricted free agency.
I’m still excited about watching Steven Adams, Enes Kanter, Victor Oladipo, Cam Payne, Domantus Sabonis and possibly Dion Waiters evolve as players. If Westbrook leaves they are now the core of the Thunder. Think back to that last regular season game at San Antonio and that will be our Thunder… and who knows maybe Westbrook might stay, but I wouldn’t bet my life on it.
This might sound crazy, but I actually loved that first year the Thunder were here going 23-59 as we watched Durant, Green, Westbrook, Harden, and Ibaka adjust to the NBA game. So I’ll be okay. But Russell Westbrook needs to let Sam Presti know what he’s going to do. I don’t think that’s an unreasonable request at all.
Moving forward.