Another Dynamic Duo in OKC?

It’s been a whole year since the departure of Kevin Durant from the Oklahoma City Thunder. Many things have changed since Durant’s departure. The Golden State Warriors, powered up with the addition of Kevin Durant became NBA Champions, handing LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers a second Finals defeat in 3 years. Meanwhile, in Oklahoma City, Russell Westbrook thrived, averaging a triple double for the entire season, something that hasn’t been done in the last 50 years. Although Westbrook’s season ended with an early first round exit, he relished the finality of the season with his first ever MVP award. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, two ultra talented players, were arguably the two biggest story lines throughout the season. But this commotion surrounding the two superstars rises beyond just simple wins and amazing stat lines. Just one year ago, present day MVP Russell Westbrook and former league MVP and now NBA Champion Kevin Durant were teammates. They were 1 win away from reaching the NBA Finals. Yet now, they are on different teams. The reason according to many basketball insiders, Durant’s lack of trust in Westbrook’s ability to be a good teammate on the court. It’s believed that Russell Westbrook was hard to play with on the court and Kevin Durant had had enough in OKC with Westbrook which made his decision to move to the Warriors that much easier.

Now we fast forward to present day. It’s the NBA off-season and major moves are taking place. Jimmy Butler to the Timberwolves. Chris Paul to the Rockets. But most interestingly, Paul George to the Thunder. George has already previously addressed his desire to one day move to the Lakers although he feels that the Thunder could still be an option for a permanent landing spot. With George in OKC, OKC once again has the potential for a dynamic duo. Russell Westbrook once again has another running mate. Westbrook has another chance to prove himself to be an improved player more capable of incorporating another star into his team. The question is, will it work this time?

Many have pointed to the fact that OKC could not win when Durant was on the team so how would an undoubtedly lesser player in Paul George change anything. Well, for starters, since Durant's’ departure from the Thunder, Westbrook has seemed to have turned a new page in his basketball journey. Last year was Westbrook’s first year as the lone wolf. He learned quickly that involving his teammates more was the key to success. He averaged more assists during a complete season than he ever had before, helping the Thunder climb to a 6th seed in the Western Conference, despite a noticeable lack of talent on the roster as a whole. This is a good indicator that Westbrook has probably evolved since his time with Durant and that he will do a better job in involving Paul George. Furthermore, Westbrook watching Durant win a title after being eliminated from the playoffs must have stung. Despite winning his first MVP award, the main focus on Westbrook's mind seems to be to win in the playoffs. This is another good sign that instead of a stats-focused mindset, Westbrook will focus more on integrating Paul George into the team so they may succeed in the playoffs. Moving on to the style of play, George arguably fits better with Westbrook because he’s less talented than Durant. Durant was so ultra talented that he required so much attention during the offense that Westbrook and Durant were not very compatible, to begin with. George, on the other hand, is not quite as talented. George although very capable of going one-on-one when necessary, is also capable of playing off the ball and spot up shooting very well. Additionally, he is still a stout defender in the NBA. More than anything, since he isn’t quite as talented as Durant was, Westbrook will now most likely be the leader of the dynamic duo with his already killer-like personality. More than anything, the reason Westbrook and George will work so well is simple. Westbrook asked Durant what he could change to make Durant happier but Durant still departed, effectively saying that “Westbrook, you can’t change and I don't think I can win with you.” Now Westbrook has a chance to redeem himself and his reputation as a teammate. There’s another dynamic duo in OKC. And it might just be better than people think.