There have been a lot of big surprises to come out of the NBA world over the course of the last few weeks. Dwyane Wade leaving the Heat to join the Bulls? A surprise. Mike Conley inking a $153 million contract? A surprise. Kevin Durant signing with the Warriors? Eh, OK, that wasn’t a total shock, but still…a surprise. But Russell Westbrook being upset about KD's decision? Well, that’s about the least surprising news to come out of the NBA all offseason.
Last week, KD admitted that his relationship with Westbrook "probably won’t ever be the same" since he signed with Golden State, even though the two spent nearly a decade chasing titles with the Thunder and grew close as both teammates and friends during that time. And now, The Oklahoman reporter Anthony Slater is reporting that he’s heard Westbrook is "ticked off" about KD’s decision to leave Oklahoma City. According to a source who spoke with Slater, Westbrook is so upset that he hasn’t asked the Thunder to trade him—despite what you may have heard—and he’s preparing to go full Russell Westbrook next season when he takes the court.
Here’s a portion of Slater’s report:
Westbrook has given the Thunder no indication that he currently wants out. To the contrary, one source described him as ticked off about the Kevin Durant departure, determined for this new challenge and eager for the season to start: "He's ready."
Of course, this is kind of what you would expect out of Westbrook. Other superstars might demand a trade after seeing a player like KD depart from their team. But we’re betting Westbrook just sees it as another challenge for him to overcome. No surprise there.
