Oklahoma City Thunder

An Oklahoma City Thunder fan reportedly threatened general manager Sam Presti and head coach Billy Donovan following the trades of Paul George and Russell Westbrook. 

According to Abigail Ogle of KOCO 5 News in Oklahoma City, court documents revealed the fan wanted to "blow things up" and left threatening voice messages saying he wanted to kill Presti and Donvan.

Ogle noted the suspect also threatened the families and children of the general manager and coach.

"We defer to the authorities, and they can handle the situation as they see fit," the Thunder said in response to the situation, per Ogle.

Oklahoma City appeared to shift toward a rebuild this offseason when it traded George to the Los Angeles Clippers for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari, five first-round draft picks and the rights to first-round pick swaps in 2023 and 2025.

It then traded Westbrook to the Houston Rockets in exchange for Chris Paul, two first-round picks and the rights to first-round pick swaps in 2021 and 2025.

The two moves gave Oklahoma City a head-turning amount of future draft capital and broke up a team that lost in the first round in each of the last three years. While contending for a title in the loaded Western Conference would have been difficult even if the Thunder kept Westbrook and George, these trades all but eliminated them from realistic championship conversations.

One fan apparently took it far worse than most and crossed a number of boundaries with these reported threats.

Although the Oklahoma City Thunder have been trying to trade the recently acquired Chris Paul, discussions are currently "parked," according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. 

There is reportedly an "increasing expectation exists that he will start the season with the Thunder."

Per Wojnarowski, "nothing is materializing so deep into summer free agency" and both sides could accept the point guard playing the season with Oklahoma City.

Paul was sent to Oklahoma City in a deal that brought Russell Westbrook to the Houston Rockets, although there was wide speculation he would be flipped in another deal.

After losing Westbrook and Paul George from a team that lost in the first round, the Thunder are not expected to be a contender in 2019-20 and have little use for a 34-year-old who is owed over $120 million over the next three years.

ESPN's Brian Windhorst said on The Rich Eisen Show Monday the Thunder were trying to make a trade, but they were going to remain patient to find the right deal. He also noted they might have to give up draft picks in order to convince a team to take on the contract.

Of course, the contract remains complicated even if you find a team willing to take on the salary.

Any interested team would have to match salaries in a potential deal, which is even tougher considering players who just signed contracts can't be moved until Dec. 15. Few teams have enough players under team control to complete a trade, whether they want to or not.

Wojnarowski reported the Thunder could restart trade talks after that mid-December deadline when more players could be available in trades.

Until then, Paul could spend the first few months of the season with the Thunder instead of possibly helping a contender win a championship.

Oklahoma City Thunder general manager Sam Presti didn't hold back when talking about Russell Westbrook after the Houston Rockets officially announced Tuesday that they acquired him via trade.

Royce Young of ESPN.com shared Presti's statement in which the GM praised the team's relationship with Westbrook and revealed the front office worked with him to facilitate a trade with an eye on his future.

Presti added: "Russell Westbrook is the most important player in the brief history of the OKC Thunder. He has left an indelible mark on this team, city and state."

Presti wasn't the only member of the Thunder organization to heap praise on Westbrook on his way out. Thunder chairman Clay Bennett pointed to the UCLA product's legacy both on and off the court in the Oklahoma community:

It is a testament to Westbrook's talent and impact that Presti considers him the most important player in franchise history for a team that has also featured Kevin Durant and James Harden, among others.

Westbrook, the No. 4 pick in the 2008 NBA draft, has played in Oklahoma City for his entire 11-year career. 

He won the 2016-17 MVP and is an eight-time All-Star, two-time scoring champion, two-time assist champion and eight-time All-NBA selection. He also became just the second player in league history to average a triple-double for an entire season and has done so in each of the last three campaigns.

The Thunder advanced to the Western Conference Finals four times and the NBA Finals once with Westbrook at point guard. They will assuredly hang his number in their rafters one day.

Houston's first trip to Oklahoma City during the 2019-20 season will be appointment viewing for all NBA fans for what figures to be a memorable ceremony for the Thunder legend.

While the Oklahoma City Thunder are expected to trade Chris Paul, a move might not come quickly.

Brian Windhorst of ESPN explained the situation Monday on the Rich Eisen Show:

"In talking to some of the parties, I don't think the Thunder are in any hurry to trade him," Windhorst said. "It's a difficult complex trade."

He also referenced the Kyrie Irving and Dwight Howard trades that lasted until August despite plenty of expectations that both would be dealt for weeks.

Paul has been an effective player on the court, even as his production decreases from his prime when he was a nine-time All-Star. Last season he averaged 15.6 points and 2.0 steals per game while ranking third in the NBA with 8.2 assists per game.

Any contending team would certainly benefit from what the veteran brings on both ends of the court.

However, one holdup is the guard's contract, as he is owed at least $38 million in each of the next three years. The Houston Rockets traded him to help create space for Russell Westbrook, but the Thunder will have little use for this contract as they begin a rebuild.

The money owed to him could make it difficult to find a trade partner during the offseason.

"If you go out there and survey teams," Windhorst explained, "some teams would say, 'The only way I'm taking this Chris Paul contract...is if you give me draft picks.'"

Oklahoma City certainly has picks to spare after dealing Westbrook and Paul George, but the team will apparently be patient in finding the best possible trade for the veteran point guard.

BR Video

The Oklahoma City Thunder drafted Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden in three straight years. But over the last 10 years, the Thunder have had many ups and downs.

Watch the video above to see the rise and fall of the OKC Thunder.

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Before starting the next phase of his NBA career, Russell Westbrook said goodbye to the only franchise he's known for 11 seasons.

Westbrook posted a farewell message, along with a highlights video, to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Instagram:

"I can't even begin to put into words all of the emotions I have right now. It's been one heck of a journey Oklahoma! When I came here, I was 18 years old, bright eyed, and completely unaware of all the amazing things that would soon take place. I grew up in Oklahoma with an amazing bunch of people. The people here are what makes this place so special. From the fans, my coaches, my teammates, the entire Thunder organization, Mr. Bennett, Sam Presti, my friends, and everyone in the entire community. You are all what makes Oklahoma such a beautiful place, and the reason I've loved playing here all of this time. You have supported me through all of the ups and the downs, and stood by me through the good times, and tough times. For that I am eternally grateful to you. I've met so many amazing people who have helped shape me into the man that I am today. I hope I have impacted the Oklahoma community as much as Oklahoma has made an impact on me and my family. I'm leaving Oklahoma with so many friends and so much gratitude. I could never thank you all enough for sticking with me. It's been a dream and a whirlwind."

Per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and Royce Young, the Thunder agreed to trade Westbrook to the Houston Rockets for Chris Paul and a package of draft picks and pick swaps.

A deal involving Westbrook was expected at some point after the Thunder agreed to send Paul George to the Los Angeles Clippers.

With Oklahoma City entering a full-scale rebuild, Westbrook is in position to help Houston try to capture its first championship since the 1994-95 season.

Westbrook was the longest-tenured member on the Oklahoma City roster. The 30-year-old was drafted fourth overall in 2008 by the Seattle SuperSonics as the franchise was in the midst of relocating. He has been named to the All-Star team eight times and won two scoring titles and the 2016-17 MVP award.

The ownership stake held by late Chesapeake Energy Corp. co-founder Aubrey McClendon in the Oklahoma City Thunder has reportedly been made available for purchase.

According to Scott Soshnick of Bloomberg, McClendon's 22 percent ownership stake in the franchise has been held by his estate since his death in 2016.

The ownership stake becomes available during a transitional period for the Thunder after ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported that they traded Paul George to the Los Angeles Clippers and agreed to deal Russell Westbrook to the Houston Rockets this offseason.

Forbes listed the Thunder as the 18th-most valuable franchise in the NBA this year at $1.5 billion. The franchise has climbed significantly in value over the past 13 years after a Clay Bennett-led group purchased the Seattle SuperSonics in 2006 before moving them to OKC. The purchase price was $325 million, per Soshnick.

Those familiar with the situation told Soshnick that McClendon's stake includes voting rights but "few other perks." McClendon's stake reportedly does not come with any decision-making authority.

The Thunder have reached the playoffs in nine of the past 10 seasons, including four trips to the Western Conference Finals and one unsuccessful NBA Finals appearance.

OKC has been ousted in the first round in each of the past three seasons, following the departure of Kevin Durant after the 2015-16 season.

With both George and Westbrook out of the picture, it seems unlikely that the Thunder will be a playoff team in the stacked Western Conference in 2019-20.

Oklahoma City should still have a competitive team, though, with nine-time All-Star guard Chris Paul reportedly coming over from Houston in the Westbrook trade. The Thunder also acquired guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and forward Danilo Gallinari in the George trade, while center Steven Adams and guard Dennis Schroder are holdovers.

Most importantly, the Thunder acquired five first-round picks in the George trade and reportedly picked up two first-rounders in the Westbrook trade. Given that bounty of picks, the Thunder are well positioned to retool quickly.

There may be some growing pains in the coming years, but whoever purchases McClendon's stake will be part of an organization that has the capital to bring in a ton of young talent moving forward.

The Oklahoma City Thunder are looking to move Chris Paul "as soon as they can" after acquiring the nine-time All-Star, along with draft picks, from the Houston Rockets in exchange for 2016-17 NBA MVP Russell Westbrook on Thursday, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski (h/t NBA Central).

Wojnarowski noted the Miami Heat are at the top of the list of potential suitors.

The Athletic's Brett Dawson and Michael Lee reported in the immediate aftermath of the blockbuster trade that the Thunder were "comfortable" with starting the 2019-20 campaign with Paul on the roster. However, Wojnarowski said on ESPN's Get Up on Friday that the team's hope is that the point guard never takes the court in an OKC uniform.

Per Wojnarowski, the Rockets had attempted to get a third team involved in their trade with the Thunder to find Paul a suitable home. 

One major obstacle that could pose a problem in Oklahoma City's search for a trade partner is Paul's hefty contract. The 34-year-old guard still has three years and $124.1 million remaining on his contract, which includes a $44.2 million player option for 2021-22.

Miami had reportedly had conversations with OKC in regard to Westbrook prior to Thursday's trade, but according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, the Heat were unwilling to part with "multiple young, valuable assets" in a trade. Now that Westbrook has landed in Houston, Miami's attention may turn to Paul.

Interestingly, the Thunder already own the Heat's first-round picks in 2021 and 2023 by way of the Paul George trade. While Miami is reportedly the top landing spot at this point, trading Paul to the Heat could potentially devalue those future draft picks. Then again, OKC may have to use some of its draft capital (15 first-rounders over the next seven years) to facilitate a trade.

According to The Athletic's Sam Amick, Paul's agent, Leon Rose, is expected to meet with Thunder general manager Sam Presti in the coming days to discuss the point guard's future.

The Oklahoma City Thunder broke apart over the past two weeks, and there didn't appear to be much fight to stop it.

Paul George started the fracture when he requested a trade, which was granted as he joined Kawhi Leonard with the Los Angeles Clippers. 

According to Royce Young of ESPN, Russell Westbrook didn't try to stop his teammate from leaving once the request was put in.

Westbrook had helped recruit George to sign a long-term deal with the Thunder last offseason, but apparently it wasn't enough to convince him to stay after a third straight first-round exit in the playoffs.

Despite the separation, there doesn't appear to be any bad feelings between the two All-Stars.

"Westbrook's and George's relationship was probably the most consistent, stable thing about the Thunder these past two seasons, and there was no fracture between the two that led to George's trade request," Young wrote.

George also made sure to clarify that Westbrook was not the problem:

Unfortunately for Oklahoma City, this trade turned a fringe contender into a squad that would have a difficult time even making the playoffs. It helped kick off a rebuild, which continued Thursday when Westbrook was traded to the Houston Rockets in exchange for Chris Paul and draft picks, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Westbrook will now get a chance to play alongside James Harden, but it's unknown how long this new relationship will last.

Russell Westbrook was the biggest story in sports Thursday night, but he was too busy to acknowledge the moment.

The Oklahoma City Thunder point guard was traded to the Houston Rockets in exchange for Chris Paul and draft picks, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. When that news broke, he was hosting a comedy show in Tulsa, Oklahoma:

While he came out to a big applause, it's unknown who knew what about the player's future at that time.

As Robby Kalland of Uproxx noted, doors opened for the comedy show at 7:30 p.m. CT, four minutes after the trade was announced on Twitter.

Westbrook likely knew he was headed to Houston at that point, but he kept his commitment to the people of Oklahoma before moving on for the next phase of his career.