The rise and fall of OKC, the NBA’s small-market miracle

It is Russell Westbrook Day.

It is Russell Westbrook Day daily in Oklahoma Metropolis, by a mayoral decree signed in 2017 by then-Mayor Mick Cornett after Westbrook re-upped with a five-year, $205 million extension.

It was Russell Westbrook Day on July 6, when the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder shockingly traded Paul George to the LA Clippers. And it is Russell Westbrook Day on July 11, the day the Thunder traded him to the Houston Rockets to reunite with former teammate James Harden.

Westbrook had been the material of the Thunder for greater than a decade, connecting with town by means of his confidence, bravado and underrated attraction. Regardless of his snarling, foul-mouthed depth on the courtroom, Oklahomans stood up a bit taller as a result of Westbrook’s unwavering self-belief soaked into the core of the state.

He’d been the final man standing from the league’s small-market miracle, however issues change shortly. And with out warning.

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For the primary time of their 11-year historical past since relocating from Seattle, the Thunder are tumbling head-first right into a reboot. It leaves huge questions on how OKC would possibly react to watching a crew with out superstars, or if it could possibly proceed to fill the world on Tuesday nights in February.

The autumn might sound abrupt, however actually, the pillars of their basis have been splintering for years. Contemporary off their solely Finals berth in 2012, they traded a 23-year-old Sixth Man of the Yr in James Harden — however they saved successful. In the summertime of 2016, they misplaced Kevin Durant, the Thunder’s first MVP and face of the franchise — however they saved successful.

Certainly, the Westbrook and George trades are jarring, however there’s some optimism for a refresh — one thing many within the group assume is critical, if not overdue. Not that the Thunder wished this, although, by any means.

After they re-signed George a yr in the past, it was an achievement for a franchise that guess on itself to beat the immense gravity of the bigger markets. There wasn’t simply pleasure about extending their window, however in regards to the likelihood to lastly exhale.

Each Thunder summer time since 2014 centered round star free brokers, first with Durant, then Westbrook’s future, then George’s recruitment. With Westbrook and George beneath contract for at the least the following three years, the fan base might lastly expertise some stability and assurance for the primary time in additional than 5 years.

However behind the scenes, OKC’s basketball axis was already tilting towards change.

The Thunder are the primary franchise in NBA historical past to draft eventual MVPs in three straight seasons (2007-2009). Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE through Getty Pictures

THE EXIT STRATEGY was being ready. After a 10-year stretch wherein the Thunder made the playoffs 9 instances and amassed a successful proportion of 64%, OKC, in response to league sources, seen the 2019-2020 season as its final, finest likelihood at successful a title.

The Thunder spent $60 million in luxurious tax final season for his or her 49 wins. However they did so as a result of the choice was not having two superstars in Oklahoma Metropolis.

They usually have been ready to spend huge once more this season: With the trio of Westbrook ($38.5 million), George ($33 million) and Steven Adams ($25 million) beneath contract, OKC was headed for the repeater tax in 2019-20.

However the Thunder believed they might be more healthy, higher and able to compete in a reshuffled West that has lastly escaped the Golden State Warriors’ stranglehold.

The exhausting fact for the Thunder, although: The Westbrook-George pairing wasn’t working. There was context, certain, like George’s shoulder accidents final season, however a crew that expensive with that a lot star energy should not have simply three playoff wins over the previous two seasons.

So when George’s agent, Aaron Mintz, knowledgeable Thunder common supervisor Sam Presti of his consumer’s needs — extra a request than a requirement — it got here as a shock, nevertheless it additionally was seen in some methods as a present.

“Westbrook is the franchise participant, the one who stayed, the purified illustration of the Thunder’s first chapter in Oklahoma Metropolis. The highs, the lows, the drama, the tragedy, the sweetness, the success, the failure — he’d been there for all of it.”

The Thunder’s finest guess for the season was a development of the chemistry between their stars, inner growth of their youth and a few fringe additions to assist regular the crew’s inconsistency. But when George wasn’t fully on board, mixed with the actual fact his offseason shoulder surgical procedures might power him to overlook the primary couple weeks of the upcoming season, the request might need turn out to be a requirement if the Thunder began slowly.

The franchise’s leverage, in that case, could be diminished, and the circus of a famous person asking out would comply with.

There was no actual technique to ask George to rethink. One might attempt to assign blame — to George, to Westbrook, to Presti, to go coach Billy Donovan — however if you wish to blame something, it is geography.

The Thunder have battled towards it since their inception, and with George’s ties to the Los Angeles space, there was no stopping it a second time round. The Thunder staved off the draw of L.A. as soon as earlier than, however after a yearlong, already profitable recruiting effort, there was merely nothing left to promote. The partnership with Westbrook was an enormous a part of it, and Westbrook did his half, with the 2 constructing a powerful relationship each on and off the courtroom.

However at the same time as George’s commerce request shook the partitions of the group, Westbrook did not attempt to change his thoughts, in response to a number of sources.

Westbrook’s and George’s relationship was most likely probably the most constant, secure factor in regards to the Thunder these previous two seasons, and there was no fracture between the 2 that led to George’s commerce request.

TEAMWinsTitlesSpurs6131Rockets5410Thunder5380Warriors5343Since 2008-09

However Westbrook calls for management, and even issues just like the get together the Thunder threw with Westbrook’s identify on it final yr include circumstances and issues (he made certain to personally approve each invite on the 500-guest listing). He’s a creature of behavior who capabilities inside routine — post-practice taking pictures on the similar basket, the identical arrival time on the enviornment, the identical pregame routine, the identical parking spot, the identical all the things.

In order Kawhi Leonard put the full-court press on George, and Westbrook not breaking character to re-recruit his star teammate, the Thunder had little to counter it. Presti wasn’t as heartbroken by George’s request as some would possibly imagine, having skilled loads of star departures earlier than. If something, there was pragmatic aid.

The frustration stemmed extra from the timing, as a result of the Thunder have been already in the course of making an attempt to execute their free company plan (re-signing Nerlens Noel, including Mike Muscala and Alec Burks, who was allowed to rethink his deal and signed with the Warriors as an alternative).

The Thunder misplaced Durant for nothing, however with George, they have been going to restock the cabinet and take what could be a three-year rebuilding plan and cut back it to 1 night time. Not solely was the haul of belongings from the Clippers unprecedented — and many extra picks are coming from Houston through the Westbrook commerce — the underrated side of the deal was that, all of the sudden, the Thunder’s personal draft belongings turned useful once more.

These would make the restoration simpler to swallow. The Thunder have an ample variety of pathways to take, from draft and growth to accessing the amassed belongings to amass the league’s subsequent accessible star. That is the pragmatic view.

However there’s additionally the romantic one, the one which sees the top of an period, the one which places Westbrook in a special jersey for the second half of his prime, the one which leaves the crew that drafted Durant, Harden, Serge Ibaka and Westbrook because the dynasty that by no means was.

The Russell Westbrook-Paul George partnership fell aside within the blink of an eye fixed for OKC. Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports activities

FOR RUSSELL WESTBROOK, the narrative had been written — nobody needs to play with him — however towards all odds and assumptions, George selected to remain. Westbrook basked in that call, feeling prefer it rewrote the e book on him as a teammate. In some methods, it ranked proper up there with successful the MVP as one of the best second of his profession.

For giant components of final season, the Thunder thrived as they took on the id of George, with him rising as their finest participant and MVP candidate. However as George regressed barely, and handled accidents to each shoulders, Westbrook stuffed the void and the Thunder’s id adjusted.

Everybody performed on edge, with the enjoyment and free-flowing nature dissolving into loads of indignant “shoot the f—ing ball!” shouts coming from Westbrook. Final season was an ungainly one for Westbrook. His play was inconsistent and pressure bubbled over between him and coaches, crew staffers and the media.

A part of Westbrook’s management type is to make it seem to be he is an “a–hole,” as George admitted earlier than the 2 turned teammates, however if you happen to’re contained in the partitions of the locker room, you see what he is actually like — affable, humorous, considerate, relatable. He beloved interrupting teammate’s interviews to yell, “Inform ’em what a foul teammate I’m!” as a result of he relished the concept they knew in any other case.

Franchise rank*PTS18,8591stAST6,8972ndREB5,7603rdSTL1,4423rdGMS8214th*As each Thunder and SuperSonics

Neither George nor Durant left due to Westbrook, however they did not keep due to him, both. Eighty-two video games can really feel like much more than that with Westbrook. Every sport is The Most Vital Recreation Ever, and an unremarkable win in February can nonetheless yield a annoying postgame atmosphere.

Since he was drafted in 2008, Westbrook remained resolute, and the Thunder steadfast of their help of him. However because the crew’s rebuilding path turned clear, and the choices simple, either side noticed the possible conclusion.

There was an opportunity to spark one other run, utilizing among the acquired belongings from the Clippers commerce to jump-start the engine as soon as extra, however the Thunder wished to do proper by Westbrook.

The Thunder spent the previous 11 seasons being a poster youngster for small-market success, paving the trail to competition by means of savvy drafting and calculated risk-taking. Now they’re the newest instance of the futility of preventing the forces that rule the NBA.

These forces led LeBron James to Los Angeles. They pulled Kevin Durant to Brooklyn. They usually abruptly ripped Paul George from Oklahoma Metropolis.

Westbrook was the final man standing. He could not be once more.

It was Durant who was at all times considered the famous person subsequent door, the one who would by no means go away, the participant made for a small market like OKC. That connection was actual, nevertheless it wasn’t rooted to the pink grime. After Durant left and Westbrook pledged his loyalty, it was apparent to everybody: It was Russell all alongside.

“There’s nowhere else I’d reasonably be than Oklahoma Metropolis,” Westbrook stated after agreeing to his extension in 2017.

“You guys have mainly raised me. I have been right here since I used to be 18, 19 years previous. You guys did nothing however nice issues for me. By way of the great and the dangerous, you guys supported me by means of all of it, and I recognize it. Positively after I had the chance to have the ability to be loyal to you guys, that is the No. 1 possibility.

“Loyalty is one thing that I stand by.”

Westbrook will not be the primary quantity retired — that honor went to Nick Collison — however he would be the first statue. He is the franchise participant, the one who stayed, the purified illustration of the Thunder’s first chapter in Oklahoma Metropolis. The highs, the lows, the drama, the tragedy, the sweetness, the success, the failure — he’d been there for all of it.

It will likely be Russell Westbrook Day tomorrow, and all the times after, nevertheless it’s additionally a brand new day for the Thunder, and the possibility to lastly begin once more.