NBA All-Around

Kevin Durant left Oklahoma City, a move which made the Warriors' fans ecstatic, left Thunder fans devastated, and the rest of the NBA furious. With Durant's departure, people are saying the Thunder have no chance of going to the Finals. However, Russell Westbrook disagrees, and so do I. Here is why I believe Russell Westbrook is going to have the best season of his career and win the MVP award along the way. 1. Westbrook's Mentality Russell Westbrook is known to be one of the most aggresive, reckless players in NBA history. Westbrook is one of the most competitive players of all time, and now, the fire has been ignited. With the pressure to prove that he can succeed without Durant, to prove that he is one of the best players in the NBA, and to prove that the Thunder are more than just a mediocre team, Westbrook will thrive. He will compete like he never has before, and that's scary. Personally, I believe that Westbrook, who is already one of the fiercest players in...

With the departure of Kevin Durant, the Oklahoma City Thunder went from a championship caliber team with superstars to a mediocre team with some decent, young players. This is due to the fact that Russell Westbrook is almost certain to leave Oklahoma City. Westbrook will play for the Thunder this upcoming season, but will most likely sign with another team after. Now, the Thunder should trade Westbrook instead of letting him go in free agency and receiving nothing in return. Let's analyze possible destinations for the young superstar, using  ESPN's NBA Trade Machine. 1.Minnesota Timberwolves The Timberwolves, a team already stacked with young talent, are one superstar away from breaking out and becoming one of the best teams in the Western Conference. If Russell Westbrook went to Minnesota, here's what I think the trade would look like: Now, for giving up Westbrook, the Thunder should receive a point guard in return, such as Ricky Rubio. With the addition of Westbrook...

On June 19th, 2016, history was made. The team with the best regular season record in NBA history lost in the NBA Finals at the hands of LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. However, since that day, a lot has changed. Both teams have made moves in the offseason, with the most notable move being the Warriors acquiring superstar Kevin Durant, making them better than ever. If the Warriors and Cavaliers square off in the NBA Finals in 2017, can LeBron James still pull off a victory against Durant and the Warriors? Let's find out. We will be using WhatIfSport's NBA SimMatchup Basketball Tool , which allows us to simulate games between NBA teams. We will simulate a best of 7 series between the Warriors and Cavaliers. I have updated both teams' rosters to resemble their 2016-17 season rosters. Note: This simulation is the outcome projected by the NBA SimMatchup Tool, not my predicted outcome. Game 1 (Oracle Arena) The first game takes place in the Warriors' home ...

Kevin Durant, the #1 free agent this offseason, is a player which every team wants on their roster. This season, Durant averaged 28 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists a game. Durant is only 27 years old, and these next few years is when his talent will peak. So which team will Durant be on at the beginning of next season? Who will win the Kevin Durant Sweepstakes? Oklahoma City Thunder The Thunder, the team Durant is currently a part of, also want to keep the superstar. If Durant stays with the Thunder, he will make more money than he would with any other team, since the Thunder can offer him a 5-year maximum contract, allowing him to make more than $30,000,000 in each of the last two years of this contract. However, money does not seem to be Durant's priority; winning a championship does. Can the Thunder win a championship? If Durant is there, the answer is yes. Russell Westbrook is an All Star point guard, who almost averaged a triple double (24 points, 10 assists, and 8 reboun...