Following the news of Kevin Durant's departure to the Golden State Warriors at the start of this week, the prospect of the Oklahoma City Thunder trading Russell Westbrook is probably the last thing their fans want to hear.
However, the rumors have only gathered pace over the course of this week, despite the fact it would leave the Thunder's starting five in tatters.
Following the departure of Durant to Oakland, OKC saw their championship odds slide to a massive 25/1, a figure which would only grow if Russ was to leave.
Last season, the 28-year-old point guard averaged 26.0 points per game, whilst also adding 10.4 assists. Westbrook also tied the triple-double record set by Magic Johnson in the 1988/89 season.
Cash your chips whilst you can
Whilst Sam Presti may have been on the receiving end of some criticism over time, he has been consistent with trading players prior to the Durant deal.
James Harden, Reggie Jackson, and more recently Serge Ibaka have all been traded by the Thunder before they can enter free agency, meaning a departure for Westbrook this summer is not as unrealistic as it may seem.
Having seen KD leave for nothing, Oklahoma City will not want to see the same happen for one of the league's best point guards, especially as they could pick up some serious firepower in a trade.
Reports have suggested that if the Thunder dealt with the Los Angeles Lakers, they could pick up D'Angelo Russell and the newly drafted Brandon Ingram, whilst there has even been talking of a blockbuster Kyrie Irving swap with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Despite mid-season speculation that Durant and Westbrook didn't get along all too well, more recent reports have suggested that the guard would not extend his contract if his teammate left this year.
Not wanting to jump the gun
The Thunder have already been busy already this off-season, with rumors persisting that they're not done yet. Prior to Durant's departure, OKC was reportedly looking to shop Enes Kanter, whilst they were linked with a move for Al Horford.
The Western Conference finalists will also be looking for a new forward prior to the start of the 2016/17 season. With Durant's contract off their books, the Thunder should logically be able to entice a top small forward to their roster, which in turn, could convince Russ to stay.
On the other hand, the freed-up money could allow the Thunder to offer their All-Star point guard a bumper new contract, which could go some way in convincing him to extend his stay in Oklahoma beyond the summer of 2017.
Meanwhile, with Durant out of the picture, Westbrook has the potential to grow even more as a player, as he enters the peak of his career.
During Kevin Durant's injury plagued 2014/15 season, Westbrook grabbed a career-high regular-season return of 28.1 points. Having added even more boards to his game, the two-time NBA All-Star MVP could very well push on and become one of the league's top point-scorers for the Thunder if he stays next season.