If they really are taking Rubio...

[Trueblood]

....then how about trading Westbrook to Portland for Fernandez and Rodriguez?

Portland has been saying that they are looking for a PG so Westbrook would fit the bill.

Fernandez would obviously fit well here due to his connection with Rubio and Rodriguez would be thrown in to make salaries match but is obviously a good fit with the Spanish connection so he wouldn't mind coming off the bench.

If this is considered to be too lopsided in one direction, draft picks or future picks can be tossed in.

This isn't necessarily to appease Westbrook in the likely event that he's upset about moving from point guard. I just think that he won't be a great fit at the 2 spot, especially on the defensive side of the ball where he'll get posted up a lot. I just can't see a defensive minded Presti being wild about an undersized, bulky 2 guard complimenting KD on defense. Fernandez wouldn't be much better but the chemistry created on the offense end would more than make up for it.

[DwightSchrute]

Interesting idea, but the more I think about it, the more I believe that neither team would do it.

Portland probably wouldn't do it because I don't think Westbrook is the type of player they're looking for at PG. I've gotten the impression that they were looking for a veteran PG (Hinrich has been rumored very recently) unless they could grab a young pure PG like Rubio. If they wanted to plug a 20-year-old combo guard into the lineup at point, they have ******* (Westbrook is obviously better than ******* though).

From the Thunder's perspective, Fernandez would be a much better fit next to Rubio offensively, but he isn't a good defender. Durant and Fernandez would be a shaky defensive duo on the wings. Fernandez is considerably taller than Westbrook, but there is very little difference between the two length-wise. Westbrook has really long arms that negate Fernandez's height advantage, and he is a superior defender, even at SG. Regardless of whether the other team's SG is 6'2" or 6'7", I'm taking Westbrook over Fernandez defensively. I think there is a very legitimate argument in terms of offensive fit, but I don't think a trade wouldn't be motivated in any way by Westbrook's ability to guard the 2 unless the Thunder were getting back a bigger guard with similar defensive ability. Also, as much as I like Fernandez's offense, I just think Westbrook has more value.

[thunderquest]

The goal is not to just have a "big 3" its to have a big 7 or 8. Rubio and Westbrook would be coming off the bench for over 50% of the teams in the league . . . why is it so bad that one of them would come off the bench for the Thunder. I think they could play together for stretches of the game. I dont think it is a problem to have both, unless it causes a big attitude problem for Westbrook . . . and if that is the case then Westbrook isnt necessarily the building block that many thought he was.

[okcnba]

The goal is not to just have a "big 3" its to have a big 7 or 8. Rubio and Westbrook would be coming off the bench for over 50% of the teams in the league . . . why is it so bad that one of them would come off the bench for the Thunder. I think they could play together for stretches of the game. I dont think it is a problem to have both, unless it causes a big attitude problem for Westbrook . . . and if that is the case then Westbrook isnt necessarily the building block that many thought he was.

Agree 100%. The only reason any of us are scared of drafting rubio is because of this ambiguous "you're trippin" quote from Russ. We need to take the best available player at 3, which very well maybe Blond Ricky!

[KD 4 MVP]

I think we would get raped in that trade. I need to here a little more than you trippin before I cast RW0 to the side. Rubio hasn't played in the NBA yet so I don't think it is a sure thing that he would take RW0's job anyway. Westbrook's numbers were not that far off of Rose's and he showed significant improvement by the end of the year.

[ClarkMatthews]

That's definitely intriguing. Fernandez provides the outside shooting we've been needing, and the Thunder suddenly become "Spanish National Team-West". Maybe they can convince J.C. Navarro to sign a reasonable deal and convince Pau Gasol to come here when he hits free agency.

[Capt Jack Sparrow]

That might work pretty well for us. I do like Westbrook though, but whateer it takes to win right.
Is the NBA not as uptight as the NFL as far as trading in the division?

[DwightSchrute]

That might work pretty well for us. I do like Westbrook though, but whateer it takes to win right.
Is the NBA not as uptight as the NFL as far as trading in the division?Generally, yes. In the NFL you play every other team in your division twice, which amounts 2/16=12.5% of your games per each team in your division. In the NFL, two games can very easily determine a division title and make or break your season. In the NBA you only play each team in your division 4 times in 82 games, which is less than 5% of your schedule. Also, there are more playoff berths for non-division champions in the NBA (5 per conference) than in the NFL (2 per conference). However, even in the NBA two championship contenders in the same conference are still unlikely to make any major trades with each other.