Could The Philadelphia 76ers Lure Russell Westbrook?

With the Oklahoma City Thunder possibly looking to move Russell Westbrook, could the Philadelphia 76ers be a landing location?

NBA Free Agency is one of the most anticipated tIke’s of the year for basketball fans, and it is a time when teams can go make a splash by signing a star by or remain quiet by maintaining the same roster.

The Golden State Warriors are one of those rare teams that is built for championships yet still has the cap space to attract star free agents. Kevin Durant is the latest player to move on from his current team and join another to form yet another “dream team”.

Over the last few weeks, Durant had meetings with various teams but the two main ones that always remained in the conversation were the Golden State Warriors and the Oklahoma City Thunder. Many thought Durant would return to Oklahoma City with teammate Russell Westbrook and compete for a title once again in the Western Conference, but it seems like Durant did not see it the same way.

After all the speculation about Durant’s decision, Durant final made his choice and decided to sign with the Warriors. This decision seems reminiscent of LeBron James’ decision to join the Miami Heat, and many fans are split on whether or no they support the decision to chase an easier route to the title.

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Now that Durant is a Warrior, the main question that is one everyone’s mind is whether or not Westbrook will stay with the Thunder. Some believe Westbrook will leave the Thunder after this year as he too will pursue a championship, but if Westbrook does intend to leave after this upcoming season, should the Thunder entertain trade offers? Brian Windhorst reported that they might. If this is the case, Bryan Colangelo and the Philadelphia 76ers should already be on the phone.

Since free agency started, patience seems to be the 76ers plan and they have not strayed away from the plan after only signing two free agents including Jerryd Bayless and Gerald Henderson. While building through the draft is a smart idea and the 76ers know this process will take time, Russell Westbrook would be a great guard to compliment Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid.

The 6-3 guard is a scoring machine and would be the primary scoring option that would relieve from pressure from Simmons and allow the rookie to utilize his court vision and passing skills. What is also great about the idea of Westbrook on the 76ers is that the 76ers would be his team. While Simmons and Embiid are the young stars, Westbrook would be the face of the team and would be able to mentor and guide the young team.

Down the road if the Thunder so decide to trade Westbrook, what would it take from the 76ers perspective to land the All-Star? The package would have to include at least one of their young big men along with one or both of their first round picks next year. The thought of a future lineup consisting of Westbrook, Luwawu, Forkmaz, Saric, Simmons and Embiid along with future draft picks is impressive and would bring an immediate impact to both the franchise and the city. The only way the 76ers should trade for Westbrook though is if he is committed to the 76ers. Trading for Westbrook for one or two years would not be a smart decision especially if the 76ers do trade one or more of their future draft picks.

Even if the 76ers are not able to trade directly with the Thunder they should at least entertain the idea of being involved in whatever trade is made involving Westbrook. For instance, if Westbrook is traded to the Lakers, the 76ers should offer some package in a three-way trade that could yield one of the Lakers young guards in return.

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The chances of the 76ers landing a star like Russell Westbrook right now are very slim, but that does not mean the team should not at least try to acquire such a talented player like Westbrook. The 76ers future looks bright with Simmons, Embiid, Jahlil Okafor, Dario Saric and Nerlens Noel and a player like Westbrook is just the kind of savvy veteran that would be a great fit for both the team and the Philadelphia fan base alike.