NBA Rumors: Knicks Won't Trade For Russell Westbrook, Thunder Star Could Be Dealt Soon

The Oklahoma City Thunder might soon trade Russell Westbrook, but don’t expect him to go to the Big Apple. Despite speculation that the New York Knicks might get involved in discussions for the star guard, the team won’t acquire him for the start of the 2019-2020 NBA season.

Even if the Knicks wanted to trade for Westbrook this summer, they couldn’t make it happen. New York doesn’t have the salary cap space to absorb Westbrook’s $38.5 million salary, nor do they have the players to make a trade with Oklahoma City work.

The Knicks aren’t allowed to trade any of their free-agent signings until Dec. 15. If New York put all of the trade-eligible players on their roster into a deal, it still wouldn’t equal enough salary to make a trade for Westbrook meet the salary cap restrictions.

It sounds like New York won’t get the chance to make a trade proposal to Oklahoma City during the season. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Westbrook would welcome a trade this offseason. Both the Thunder and the veteran are motivated to find him a new team “sooner rather than later.”

The Miami Heat appear to be the most likely trade partner for Oklahoma City. They could pair Westbrook together with Jimmy Butler for the start of next season to become one of the best teams in the East.

It became clear that Westbrook’s days in Oklahoma City were numbered this past weekend when the Thunder traded Paul George to the Los Angeles Clippers for Danilo Gallinari, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, five first-round draft picks and two future pick swaps. George asked for a trade when Kawhi Leonard encouraged him to do so to allow them to join forces in L.A.

BetOnline initially pegged the Knicks as the favorites to trade for Westbrook. It’s easy to see why New York would be viewed as a possible landing spot for the eight-time All-Star.

The Knicks had designs of acquiring multiple superstars this summer and came up empty-handed, forced to watch Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving spurn them for the Brooklyn Nets. New York could try to trade for Westbrook and sell the notion that they had a successful 2019.

New York has assets that could intrigue Oklahoma City. The Knicks own all of their first-round picks, as well as two of the Dallas Mavericks’ first rounders, through 2023. The team just drafted Duke’s R.J. Barrett with the No.3 overall pick. Kevin Knox is only a year removed from being the No.9 overall pick, and second-year player Mitchell Robinson has even more value than him.

Previous Knicks’ regimes might have looked to pull the trigger on a deal for Westbrook. Team president Steve Mills and general manager Scott Perry have shown more restraint, committed to keeping draft picks and only giving big money to legitimate superstars.

The Knicks targeted Durant, Irving and Leonard this summer, unwilling to pay second-tier free agents max contracts. Westbrook will be 31 years old next season on the heels of three straight first-round playoff exits, having proven that he can’t be the best player on a championship team.

Maybe if the Knicks had signed Durant without Irving, they would have explored acquiring Westbrook to form a roster that could compete in the East.

If Westbrook doesn’t get traded in the offseason, New York is highly unlikely to pursue him before the trade deadline.