Report: Westbrook broached trade possibility with Thunder after playoff exit

Russell Westbrook's departure from the Oklahoma City Thunder in a trade to the Houston Rockets on Thursday will forever be linked with Paul George's surprise trade to the Los Angeles Clippers earlier in the offseason.

But his star teammate's departure apparently wasn't the first time the 2017 MVP considered a fresh start.

Westbrook, 30, broached the possibility of a trade with the Thunder's front office after the team's deflating first-round playoff exit at the hands of the Portland Trail Blazers in April, a source told the Houston Chronicle's Jonathan Feigen.

That reported discussion would have taken place well before the events that led George to facilitate his own exit to join reigning Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard in Los Angeles, a seismic move that even well-connected league insiders failed to forecast.

The Thunder's most recent postseason ouster marked the team's third consecutive first-round loss since Kevin Durant's departure in 2016.