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#2 - Kemba Walker to OKC Thunder
Brad Stevens started his tenure as president of basketball operations for the Boston Celtics with a power move, sending Kemba Walker to the OKC Thunder to get rid of his contract.
The Celtics had to part ways with the 16th pick in this year's NBA draft and a 2025 second-round selection for letting Walker go, but they managed to get his hefty two-year $73-million contract off their books.
In his two years with the Boston Celtics, Kemba Walker averaged 20 and 19 points, respectively. Walker was a liability on the defensive side of the ball, and the Celtics were also unable to get the desired offensive output from him.
Walker's departure makes the Boston Celtics roster extremely thin at the point guard position, and it's no surprise that the franchise will go after a playmaker in the coming days despite their cap space situation.
#1 - Russell Westbrook to LA Lakers
The LA Lakers sent a warning across the league, landing 2017 MVP Russell Westbrook in a blockbuster move in the 2021 NBA offseason. Westbrook will team up with LeBron James and Anthony Davis in Los Angeles, effectively making them one of the best teams in the league on paper.
Westbrook leads the league in triple-doubles, a feat he achieved last season by overtaking Milwaukee Bucks great Oscar Robertson.
The 32-year-old is one of the best passers and rebounders at the guard position in the NBA, and the LA Lakers are sure to benefit from playing both him and LeBron James, two of the finest playmakers, in the starting lineup.
Russell Westbrook does hamper the LA Lakers' already weak spacing but fits the bill for an aggressive point guard perfectly.
The Lakers have been building their brand lately as a physical team that can play lockdown defense in the latter stages of the game. Westbrook's tenacity should help them bag a record 18th NBA championship in the upcoming season.
Related: NBA Rumors: Dallas Mavericks a potential landing spot for free agent swingman DeMar DeRozan
