[Cardinal_FanParticipant]

Russell Westbrook is a really good player i question sometimes if his future is at the point guard but he is much better than im sure alot of people projected. Last night against the Nuggets wasnt the first time Westbrook has gotten trigger happy tho, i think it can be cause for concern because it just seems sometimes hes not content with being number 2. Does anybody think there could be a Marbury/KG or Penny/Shaq situation brewing here. Durant is clearly the man on this team and is blossoming in2 a superstar. But the question is will Westbrook be tired of playing second fiddle??? Does anybody think the Thunder would contemplate moving Westbrook to the 2 an looking for another point guard??? Or does Westbrook leave to find a situation where he can be the man??? Thoughts please, i would love to hear everybodys opinions and feedback.

[koppa33Participant]

I agree totally. And no I dont think Westbrook can play the 2. He doesnt shoot well enough and he has to have the ball in his hands

[TRC1991Participant]

a big PG like tony wroten as his counter-part wouldnt be half bad

[OhCanada-Participant]

He just needs to continue maturing. Westbrook probally made the largest strides of development in a player ever in such a short tiime, he cant be perfect and has his flaws. Shot selection and consistant positive management of the game is part of his iffy side.

[gopack10Participant]

One defining moment for Russell Westbrook for me was a few years back when he was asked about the Thunder drafting Rubio and him moving to the 2.  He responded with some variation of "You must be trippin’."  Westbrook is a great player no doubt and could easily be the number one option on some teams but he is going to have to grow up and mature.  He took 30 shots last night.  Other than him hitting 15 out of his first 20, he shouldn’t take that many shots.  This is KD’s team but I could see something brewing in the future with regards to Russy wanting to be the #1 option.  Hopefully he realizes how good this team could be for years with him, KD, Ibaka, and Perkins as a core.

[joecheck88Participant]

i dont know, he is coming across as a little too cocky nowadays. i didnt watch the whole game but only one of those 3s was terrible(the second one pulling up with 2 on him). he is a good player and i could see him wanting to be the man one day on his own team but he has to realize that durant affords him alot of his driving lanes and he wouldnt be as effective without that superstar next to him.

[Scottoant93Participant]

I was just one game that he took  stupid shots, Trust me I got on him too, but its no need to panic. Im sure next game it will be all sorted out

[RUDEBOY_Participant]

I’ve been saying that the Thunder should move Westbrook to Shooting guard..He like Wade has the ability to be successful playing the point..But they are better at attacking the basket..And sometimes when their game is on..They forget to create plays for others..And if you’re the primary playmaker on the floor that can be good at times and a disaster at other times…But the Thunder dont have anyone better than Westbrook to play the point….

[Memphis MadnessParticipant]

Durant and Westbrook kind of remind me of Shawn Kemp and Gary Payton.  Two great players, great athletes, and young.  On that Sonics team though, Payton yielded to Shawn Kemp.  GP got Kemp going, even though Payton, ultimately, turned out to be the better player. 

The Shaq and Penny thing?  Penny got Shaq going.  They played very well together, and each one complemented each other.  Shaq just got up and went to LA though, so the situations aren’t really similar.  I think there was a BIG push to make Penny a star with the Lil’ Penny commercials; the NBA was also looking for the next Jordan.  Hey, it’s not Shaq and Penny’s fault that Nick Anderson blew four straight free throws.  The next year they ran into the 1996 Chicago Bulls, possibly the best team ever.  

I think Durant and Westbrook need some strong veterans on the team.  That old Magic team had Horace Grant.  The GP/Kemp Sonics had Nate McMillan, Detlef Shrempf, and Sam Perkins.  They need a third option with experience.  The Thunder team has an awesome 1st option, and a nearly just as awesome 2nd option.  After that it tails off, with Harden and Ibaka being the next scoring threats.  They need one more guy.

The good thing, though, is that they complement each other well.  Westbrook is a blur, and can take it to the basket.  He is also solid defensively, and can pass some.  He is a good second option.  Durant can hit from anywhere, drive, and post up.  Both guys can get out and run.  And it looks like they have some great pieces around them in Serge Ibaka, Kendrick Perkins, and James Harden.  Sefolosha and Nick Collison are also nice.  I think they need a veteran guy who can take some of the scoring and leadership load off of Durant and Westbrook.  Either a starting shooting guard or a classic 6th man type.  Rip Hamilton would be a great fit.  The Thunder could trade Nick Collison, Cole Aldrich, their 2011 pick, and a future 1st round pick and some cash for Rip Hamilton and Ben Wallace.  The Pistons rebuild, get a decent back up power forward, a load inside in Cole Aldrich, and the Thunder get the third option they need plus Ben Wallace who would be great in 10-15 minutes off the bench.  Rip Hamilton can give them 12 or 13 points a game and hit a three pointer or two.  He could also give them 20 a game if he got hot.  That would make Ibaka and Harden great 4th options.  Ben Wallace would give them more toughness, rebounding, shot-blocking, and experience. 

link:  http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=4263wgb

Two teams I would worry more about are the Heat and Knicks.  Lebron and Wade basically do the same thing (drive, iso, try to get bailout calls), and neither is great from 3 or from mid-range.  Also, Lebron lacks the defined post-game that both MJ and Kobe had late in their careers.  The Knicks have two guys who like to go iso, shoot mid-range jumpers and post-up.  Neither is a great passer or ball handler.  They are also not known as 3 point shooters or defensive aces.  Those two guys kind of do the same thing too.  It will be tough to build around those two Knick players unless they can get both Dwight Howard and Chris Paul.  

 

 

 

[gopack10Participant]

I like the idea of getting a veteran with this young squad but that trade is lopsided in favor of the Thunder.  Throw in Eric Maynor and it might be worth it but otherwise it isn’t a very good trade.  Rip’s contract may be large and he may be losing a step but at this point he is a heck of a lot more valuable (especially to a OKC team who just traded for Perk, make Aldrich expendable) than Cole and Collison.

[morestealsthanscoresParticipant]

woah…let’s slow down a minute here. yes his decision making has been slightly shaky…now compare to 3 years ago. he has improved and improved…and occasionally falls back to old habits. nevertheless, he is in such a positive environment with the thunder i can’t see anything too negative escalating. he’ll still improve.

in terms of playing the 2…someone might try it, but it would be a stupid, stupid move. westbrook’s success lies in the fact that he is an oversized PG who is more athletic and quicker than almost anyone guarding him. put him at the 2 spot, and he’s undersized and can’t shoot well enough. give me westbrook over 90% of the guards in the league anyday…minus williams, paul, rose, wall…that’s about it!

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