Russell Westbrook traded to the Houston Rockets! How and WHY their new offense works

The makeover in Oklahoma City continues. And so does the Western Conference's seemingly never-ending game of "Can you top this?"

Just one day after sending Paul George to the LA Clippers for an unprecedented haul of draft picks, the Oklahoma City Thunder have reportedly shipped 2017 Kia MVP Russell Westbrook to the Houston Rockets. Westbrook will reunite with former Thunder teammate James Harden, the 2018 MVP.

Chris Paul and a package of first-round picks will be headed back to Oklahoma City, per a report by ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and Royce Young.

Westbrook, the only remaining player from the Thunder's first season in Oklahoma City after the franchise moved from Seattle in 2008, earned All-NBA Third Team recognition after logging his third consecutive season averaging a triple-double (this time: 22.9 ppg, 11.1 rpg, 10.7 apg). The 11-year veteran struggled with his shooting throughout, connecting on just 29.8 percent of his 3-point attempts and 42.8% overall, along with a career-worst 65.6 percent from the line.

Given Westbrook's usage has soared in the years since Kevin Durant's departure to Golden State, the fit next to Harden will force both players to adjust. Harden's historic 2018-19 campaign included an exhilarating 32-game streak of 30-point games and the league's highest scoring average (36.1 ppg) since Michael Jordan put up 37.1 in 1986-87. The two players each ranked among the league's top four in touches per game and time of possession, as well as top 10 marks in average seconds per touch.

Meanwhile, Paul dealt with his own struggles this season in Houston, his second with the Rockets following a six-year run with the "Lob City" Clippers. Shooting a career-low 41.9 percent overall, Paul played in just 58 games for a second-straight season, recording his lowest usage rate (22.0) since 2012-13 while posting a career-high turnover ratio of 10.8 per 100 possessions.

In the wake of Houston's second-round exit -- yet again at the hands of the Warriors -- reports began to circulate that Paul and Harden's relationship had frayed, culminating in a trade demand by Paul. Though denied aggressively by Paul and Rockets GM Daryl Morey at the time, Paul is on the move and Harden reportedly pushed for the deal once Westbrook's availability -- and interest in Houston -- became known.