Russell Westbrook has agreed to a three-year, $85-million-plus max contract renegotiation with the Oklahoma City Thunder, according to multiple reports.
Westbrook, who's been working out in Los Angeles with coach Billy Donovan and new teammate Victor Oladipo, is set to fly to Oklahoma City on Thursday morning to consummate the agreement, sources told The Vertical's Adrian Wojnarowski. It's expected to be made official at a press conference with Donovan, Thunder owner Clay Bennett, and general manager Sam Presti later in the day.
The deal won't function like a full extension, as it will take effect immediately, allowing the All-NBA point guard to earn nearly $9 million extra (from $17.8 million to $26.5 million) in what was the final season of his previous deal. Since it will reportedly also include a player option on the final season, it only promises the Thunder one additional guaranteed season of Westbrook's services. He can opt out and enter unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2018.
The renegotiated deal would pay the 27-year-old $28.5 million in 2017-18, with a $30.6-million option for the 2018-19 campaign. The Thunder gave themselves the ability to absorb the considerable salary jump into their cap for next season by rescinding their qualifying offer to then-restricted free agent Dion Waiters last month.
With Westbrook locked up, the Thunder are expected to go hard after Los Angeles Clippers power forward Blake Griffin when he becomes an unrestricted free agent next summer, Wojnarowski reports.
Westbrook, a five-time All-Star, has finished fourth in MVP voting the past two years. He won the scoring title with 28.1 points per game in 2014-15, and finished second in the NBA with a career-high 10.4 assists per game last season. He's spent all eight of his pro seasons in Oklahoma City, but with longtime running mate Kevin Durant now a Golden State Warrior, this is the first time the team will be unquestionably his alone.
Buckle up.
