What's new

Quotes from Clutchfans and OKC Forums on the trade

JazzAvenues

Well-Known Member
2018 Award Winner
2019 Award Winner
2020-21 Award Winner
2022 Award Winner
2023 Award Winner
From Houston Rockets Clutchfans site


Westbrook is a clear improvement over CP3.

Cp3 couldn't even get seperations against anyone anymore, not even centers.

You go big or go home, I'd rather die a dramatic death with Westbrook than a slow aging death with Chris Paul


No terrible trade. Harden, Morey and Tillman have lost their ****ing collective minds. Hmmm leta continue our ISO jacking 3s system and bring in of the worst 3pt shooters in the league. SOLID


No, I think it's gonna be a catastrophe. I think we didn't get any better now, Westbrook is gonna start a rapid decline, and we traded our picks that could be part of a rebuild in a few years.

We could have started a rebuild in 2/3 years with the awful CP3 contract. We won't be able to rebuild for almost a decade now.



Maybe we can convince Westbrook to cut out the pull up three's and only do his "more efficient" catch and shoot, the way OKC fans were saying during his MVP campaign. Maybe it'll work! Maybe...oh my god. Who am I ****ing kidding.

This is horrible. Westbrook had his worst percentages last year and doesn't project to age well with how much his game is predicated on athleticism. Harden and Westbrook are just going to take turns playing iso ball each time down the court. They are going to iso us to 48 wins next year. This is the modern equivalent of Denver pairing Carmelo with Iverson.


We have doubled down on ISO ball. CP3 was a better 3 point shooter.


Nope. Not one bit. Terrible, terrible, terrible.


I didn't want WB because of the crazy payroll we wold keep (i never imagined Thunder would take back CP3).
With CP3 off the books, I can take this.

Still hard to imagine these 2 ball hogs working together. In their OKC days, Harden was jus a 6th man. In exihibition games, they played so well, but that's because they weren't playing seriously. Especially WB and his stat padding. He doesn't care about that in a fake game.


Harden's pound the baskeball strategy will have to change. RW is not going to run down the court and watch Harden dribble, I promise you. He is just as much a ball hog as Harden is. If they can figure out how to play together they can be lethal. No body plays harder that RW.


I will say this. I am confident there is a version of Westbrook that can help us a ton and make us very dangerous.

I’m not confident we get that version.


But we brought in Paul to beat the Warriors. We failed and they broke up the team. He was a terrible contract since the gamble backfired so worst case itndoesnt work as we trade Russ for something much better later.


Yes, but I'm still skeptical Westbrook makes us a contender. His game is incredibly flawed and last year he really fell off. But the CP3 contract is basically an albatross so turning it into a better player at a worse contract is certainly an upgrade while Harden is still in his prime. It's an all-in move for a team that is desperate to make an all-in move. Future be damned.


Pros:
Westbrook is younger by 4 years
Westbrook has a cheaper salary (iirc)
The swaps are inconsequential as no way OKC has a better record than the Rox for the next decade
Rox reafirm Harden is their man
Westbrook fundamentally can be a great player if he is under control
MDA ball is WB's style, fast frenetic and chaotic
MDA isn't a good coach but WB is uncoachable to begin with so it doesn't matter

Cons:
2024-2026 is the time Harden and WB turn into scrubs so giving those picks can bite us in the ***
WB has a broken jumper
Rox could have just put together the 2 biggest ballhogs in NBA history
It's a signal we are going all in on ISO heavy offense

This is def a huge risk. If it blows up Morey can end up getting fired for this. OTH no guts no glory right? At least he did "something" which is what everybody wanted lol.


i'm not sure how this affects our reg season win total. but in the postseason, i don't like it at all. WB is a low-IQ player who always finds a way to F things up. even if he were to regain his FT shooting form and cut down on the dumbass pullup J's, i still don't have confidence in him. both he and james are turnover prone and take a lot of defensive plays off. tilman got his buzz for the franchise but i don't see any better chance at a title.


I like it, it gives us two players that can blow by defenders thus putting more pressure on the opposing defense. CP3 had to guile his way to the paint and that just was not enough to take thw offensive pressure off of Harden.


This is a worthy risk. I wish us luck.


OMG!?!? This has to be a joke!


Why does Houston keep picking up players I hate?! First Barkley then Pippen then Paul and now Westbrick!!! F me...


At least we got rid of CP3


You think the rest of the NBA hated us last year...just wait.


Holy ****.
I’m at a bar in OKC... 20 minutes ago I said they would never trade with us again after we stole Harden from y’all. 20 minutes later I’m a Russell Westbrook fan.


I just **** my pants twice. For both the good and bad reasons of all of this


I hope the trade includes the Thunder sending another basketball


Thunder gonna have about 20 first round picks in the next 5 years lol


Only two things happen. Championship or it’s gonna explode.


Terrible, terrible, DESPERATE move. This move will be the end of Daryl Morey's tenure


I mean... it raises our ceiling but also lowers our floor


I thought we wanted to make 3s, not just shoot 3s. Maury, get us some rebounders, for crying out loud!


welp... might as well just blow it all up now. forget winning with the "right" core.
just trade ego and tuck while you're at it morey. go get klove. who the **** cares now.
what happened to using analytics??? westbrook, really???


Chris Paul was one game away from the NBA Finals and now he will never see anything close again. You hate to see it.


Well if nothing else this shoud be one crazy ******** roller coaster ride. I know I'm in, grab your 5 poiint harness and lets go!!!!!


Damn. I feel completely dirty if I have to cheer for such an a hole.


Ladies and Gentlemen, your Houston LANDRY's!......where every player wears 37 pieces of flair.


WTF! I am genuinely horrified


Welp. I feel bad for CP3 lmao. He probably hates the **** out of us now. We basically ended his career and guaranteed no championships.


Trash is traded for garbage.


We just gave up an absolute **** ton for the worst player in the league. Fire Morey


I'm maxing out the card for this.. I gotta be there!.. Train wreck City! Let's go Got damnit!


You guys something that moves the needle? This certainly moves cause is a earthquake!!!

Love this trade! Russ is still a tremendous player who by himself solves our fast breaking opportunities. Besides, he is significantly younger than CP3.


I think i'm gonna be sick.

Westbrook is already starting to decline, refuses to take smart shots, can't shoot reliably and is a serial poor decision maker. Given all the picks we gave up, I think we're done for the next decade.


Awful, awful trade. CP3 is a better ball distributor than Russ, and then you throw in multiple first rounders? Crazy.


Screw championships!!!!!!!!!
We going for the entertainment factor!!!!


2 biggest ball hogs in the league together in the same backcourt.

Perhaps 2 biggest playoff chokers too.


Shouldn't have signed him to that ridiculous contract in the first damn place


Wait. The Rockets had to give up picks?


Man this is scary very scary 2 guys that hog the ball not seeing this going well.


So who's going to break the news to Westbrook that he can't shoot those mid-range shots? I don't think the guy has ever listened to anyone. James and Mike aren't confrontational enough. Just pray for a miracle, I guess. Maybe just say that's their "system."


I don't agree with this move (although I'm fully prepared to be wrong). But I get it.

We lost the FA arms race horribly... we had to do something.

We got younger, we didn't destroy our core... but jesus H christ this looks like a TERRIBLE fit on paper.


This is going to be some ugly basketball. Really hate this trade.





Quotes from the Thunder’s forums



I'm not sure I'll watch a single Thunder game next year. **** Chris Paul

If they're blowing it all up, then Adams needs to go


I think they will package CP3 in some other deal, I don't see him being happy with a rebuild. I think he is harder to move though he makes more than Russ, has a injury history every year, and he has declined.


Houston’s entire offense is predicated upon outshooting you on three pointers. Westbrook is a way-below average 3pt shooter. Chris Paul is still a plus defender. Russ never has been. Russ must have the ball in hands at all times. So must Harden. That marriage will end badly. Morey usually rebounds from his many mistakes, but Houston is looking more like an 8th seed than a contender.


And all because of Kahwi Leonard. Amazing how a guy who never played for OKC has forever changed the current and future of a city. A textbook definition of collateral damage. Still credit to Presti for making best of a avalanche that Leonard sent crashing on OKC.


This was a home run.

So far Presti is putting on a clinic for all teams that are stuck in perpetual first round playoff exits: trade your stars for future picks and reboot. The Thunder were never going to win a championship with the core that they had, so building for the future is absolutely the right move, especially with how competitive the West is.

While most teams in the West are in an arms race to make a deep playoff run OKC is zigging while everyone else zags. In a few years OKC will be ready to go while the current stars age out of relevancy.

I couldn’t be happier right now, go Thunder!


I ****ing hate this!!! Houston of all teams, wrugh! They are in complete denial, it’s all about narratives, Harden winning MVP, making excuses when they play poorly, blaming others – absolutely awful environment for Russ. He won’t develop as a player, it will get worse instead.

Yes, he can compete there but damn… Now I gotta watch Harden isolate,dribble, dribble, dribble, act, complain and cry for fouls in order to watch my favourite player. Worse, I can’t root for him without rooting for the ****ing Rockets. I’m absolutely disgusted!

Apart from that, you take on CP3’s contract which is untradeable, doesn’t give you cap relief any time soon and creates another issue with SGA and Dennis?! Unless you pull off a trade for Dennis without attaching another player or pick, this is awful, Sam Presti! Even if you do pull it off which I doubt, what’s the haul? Two picks, both of them protected, the swaps being protected so in the absolute best scenario we’re picking 5 at best and that’s extremely unlikely.

That over taking young players who can actually help SGA, Fergs, Diallo immediately along with contracts that are smaller and expire faster? You gotta be kidding me!

My day is ruined, congrats. Russ will see it positive but that culture over there won’t do his style of play or reputation any good.


So ... does this mean that OKC won't be part of the Nba Christmas Day TV schedule?
 
I have to admit I'm going to have a nice chuckle seeing Christina running around in a fruity skyblue Thunder jersey all year.
 
And all because of Kahwi Leonard. Amazing how a guy who never played for OKC has forever changed the current and future of a city. A textbook definition of collateral damage. Still credit to Presti for making best of a avalanche that Leonard sent crashing on OKC.

It has been quite an offseason.
 
Kawhi gonna be public enemy #1 and PG #2 in Oklahoma for awhile. Wonder how their fans are going to react the first time they play in OKC. Willing to bet they’re going to be trashy.
 
Top