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Thunder GM Sam Presti appears to have convinced Russell Westbrook to stay put in Oklahoma City. Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports relayed via Twitter that Westbrook will sign a 3-year, $85 million contract renegotiation with the Thunder on Thursday.
Sources: Russell Westbrook is flying to Oklahoma City on Thursday morning, planning to sign a three-year, $85M-plus contract renegotiation.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojVerticalNBA) August 4, 2016
As reported, the three-year, $85 million renegotiation will include a player option for 2018-19 and increase Westbrook's 2016-17 salary from $17.5 million to $26.5 million. He would then make $28.5 million in 2017-18 and $30.6 million in 2018-19 if he chose to opt in. As such, this re-negotiation is essentially a one-year extension to his original contract which was set to end after next season.
The deal gives Presti time to build around the enticing backcourt of Westbrook and Victor Oladipo. The Thunder also lay claim to exciting pieces Steven Adams, Enes Kanter and Domantas Sabonis. Westbrook's decision to re-up with the Thunder also puts an end to rampant speculation that the all-NBA point guard might leave OKC in the wake of Kevin Durant's departure earlier this summer.
EDIT 8:56pm: The news was first broken by Sonics Rising's Kevin Nesgoda:
Westbrook is about to sign an extension with OKC. Details are with the league for final approvals. Press conference tomorrow.
— Kevin Nesgoda (@KDN4) August 3, 2016
...but it was a group effort!
Don't forget @Sarah__Dewberry, @AdamJosephSport and the rest of @WTLC was a team effort. https://t.co/YqFblG0Es1
— Kevin Nesgoda (@KDN4) August 4, 2016
Nesgoda also claims that a deal to Boston had been in the works after Westbrook rebuffed the Thunder's initial offers:
To clear up my trade to Boston tweet. Deal was in place to trade him, Presti slept on it, pulled the deal & offered Westbrook a blank check
— Kevin Nesgoda (@KDN4) August 4, 2016