When analysts and pundits made preseason picks few had the OKC Thunder reaching the postseason or vying for more than the bottom seed. Likewise, when the club traded superstar Russell Westbrook for Chris Paul many assumed the veteran’s tenure with OKC would be short.-lived
For years pundits ranked Chris Paul among the league’s best as he earned eight All-NBA and nine All-Defensive team honors. Simultaneously, the same media members often referred to Westbrook as a stat hunter although he did earn All-NBA honors eight times and won the MVP the season after Kevin Durant departed.
Following the trade, the Rockets were dubbed title contenders while the Thunder were widely considered lottery-bound.