Russell Westbrook, Houston Rockets. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
The Houston Rockets got pennies on the dollar by trading Russell Westbrook on Wednesday.
No, the Houston Rockets did not get what the Oklahoma City Thunder did for Russell Westbrook.
When nobody was expecting it, the Rockets pulled off a blockbuster trade with the Washington Wizards. Houston and Washington swapped point guards, as Westbrook went to the nation’s capital, while John Wall and a first-round pick came Houston’s way. In terms of what the Thunder got in exchange for Westbrook last offseason, Houston did not get a similar haul in its deal.
Houston needs to draft well and hope John Wall can stay healthy
When the Thunder traded Westbrook to the Rockets, Oklahoma City essentially wound up Trevor Ariza, Justin Jackson, Ty Jerome, T.J. Leaf, four first-round picks, two pick swaps and three second-round picks. Though none of those players is Westbrook or Wall’s caliber, the Thunder gained a ton of assets to jumpstart their rebuild. Houston got Wall’s bad contract and a first-round pick in exchange for Westbrook.
While it doesn’t feel like OKC will be playoff teams in the deep Western Conference this upcoming season, the Thunder have to feel so much better about their rebuilding process than the Rockets, who may wind up missing the postseason as well. Though Houston has more than a problem, Oklahoma City has plenty of solutions to get back to competitiveness before too long. Rockets fans must hate seeing this.
Washington can contend for a playoff berth with Westbrook, while Houston will fall with Wall.