Russell Westbrook among MVP favorites

With a new contract in hand, keeping him with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Russell Westbrook is among the favorites to win the MVP next season.

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With Russell Westbrook’s long time running mate Kevin Durant spurning the Oklahoma City Thunder to join the Golden State Warriors in free agency, it signaled time for a new regime for the Thunder franchise. Ever since Durant left, the Thunder brass has made it their duty to try to keep Westbrook in town and not lose another superstar.

Now Oklahoma’s City efforts trying to convince Westbrook to stay and be the “man” have finally come to fruition.

Westbrook has agreed to three-year $85.7 million contract extension with the Oklahoma City Thunder. The three-year extension includes a player option for the 2018-2019 season.

With Westbrook locked up for at least the next two seasons, expect him to post even more eye popping stats than he did last season. Last year, Russ averaged nearly 24 points 10 assists and eight rebounds. The guys in Vegas realize that Westbrook’s numbers will take a substantial bump now that Kevin Durant is gone and have him ranked as having the third highest chance to win the 2016-2017 NBA MVP.

According to Bovada, Westbrook has a 4/1 chance to win MVP next season only behind Stephen Curry and LeBron James who both are at 15/4 odds. Also worth noting is that Westbrook is ranked third right ahead of his former teammate Kevin Durant who Westbrook doesn’t seem to like nowadays. While Westbrook will surely put up the numbers next season to win MVP, it will be hard to envision Westbrook winning it as the Thunder probably won’t be in the top four in the West.

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