The Sixer Sense
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Will OKC Thunder Deal Russell Westbrook Post Durant?

By Bret Stuter

May 30, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30, right) is congratulated by Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant (35) after game seven of the Western conference finals of the NBA Playoffs at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Thunder 96-88. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
May 30, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30, right) is congratulated by Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant (35) after game seven of the Western conference finals of the NBA Playoffs at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Thunder 96-88. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /
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May 22, 2016; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant (35) and guard Russell Westbrook (0) and guard Andre Roberson (21) celebrate during the second quarter against the Golden State Warriors in game three of the Western conference finals of the NBA Playoffs at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
May 22, 2016; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant (35) and guard Russell Westbrook (0) and guard Andre Roberson (21) celebrate during the second quarter against the Golden State Warriors in game three of the Western conference finals of the NBA Playoffs at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports /

Setback

The Thunder has to see this as a major setback. Leading up to their version of “The Decision”, the Thunder made all the right moves.  They had two of the three “elite” pieces which it takes to make an NBA championship team, they simply needed to mark time until they identified the third piece.

They traded power forward Serge Ibaka to the Orlando Magic for shooting guard Victor Oladipo, power forward Ersan Ilyasova, and the 11th pick of the 2016 NBA Draft, Domantas Sabonis.   While Ibaka was a contributor to the Thunder, the harvest of Oladipo to pair with Westbrook, and a productive Ilyasova to replace Ibaka at the four, made this a solid move by the Thunder.

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The cherry on top is the bonus of center/power forward Sabonis, a player I followed at Gonzaga for some time. And so, the team was set up for a run in two years, a wait that Kevin Durant was unwilling to make.

Where does that leave the Thunder?  At a very difficult cross roads.   They are too late in free agency to switch to an alternative for Durant.  His late timing of his decision ends the top tier free agency market.

And so, the Thunder must decide to go it “as is” and hope for the best next off-season, and with a solid roster might make the playoff but not much further, or the team could recognize the opportunity to shed it’s sole remaining elite and start another rebuild.

Next: Deal With Philadelphia