For National Basketball Association fans across the globe, this past offseason has been quite an unforgettable one. For starters, a plethora of large contracts that reached record-breaking figures were signed, often times with such mediocre players that you might have thought they were jokes at first glance. Yes I am talking to you Timofey Mozgov ($14 million a year?!).

But the story that excites NBA fanatics the most, including many students here at Moorpark College as we all wait in anticipation for this upcoming season, has been many teams’ notable acquisitions of “big-time” superstars this 2016 summer.

“The San Antonio Spurs will be the most entertaining team in the NBA because they acquired Pau Gasol”, says 19-year-old Sports Journalism major, Dante DiFronzo, of the Spur’s recent notable pickup. “[Gasol] is extremely skilled with the ball and I believe he could allow the Spurs to be a contender in the Western Conference.”

Following a similar reasoning, Jeffrey Kotake, 18, Business major, believes the New York Knicks are the team to watch this upcoming year.

“With their recent additions of Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah, and Courtney Lee, they added a lot more depth to their roster,” says Kotake. “Their whole team is going to be motivated to win because all of them have never even come close to the NBA Finals.”

Of course, the franchise that has received the most the attention from the NBA world, after former Most Valuable Player Kevin Durant decided to leave and join the Golden State Warriors halfway across the country, is Oklahoma City.

I agree with the majority consensus that teams’ high-profile off-season signings will make for some exciting basketball action. But to me, the big winner in this unprecedented shuffling of superstar players, is that very same team that most would consider on the “losing end” of all the commotion: The Oklahoma City Thunder.

I know what you’re thinking:

The Thunder lost their go-to guy and 28.2 points per game with Durant leaving for Golden State. On top of that, Serge Ibaka, long-time key player on both ends of the floor for Oklahoma City, was traded to the Orlando Magic for the explosive but still developing Victor Oladipo.

And yes, point-guard Russell Westbrook carries all the pressure to pick up the slack, for he is the only starter left from the Thunder’s 2012 Finals appearance, and the only one on the team to ever be named an all-star.

Good. The Oklahoma City Thunder are going to be the most exciting team to watch in the 2016-2017 NBA season because they lost so much.

Before you turn the page, allow me to elaborate.

With Durant out of the equation, Russell Westbrook can finally reach his maximum potential and will undoubtedly take that next step in his career, becoming known for more than just his extreme ferociousness and powerful playing style. Believe me, that will be fun to witness (given you aren’t on the opposing team).

I am not alone in this prediction. ESPN’s Forecast team ranked their top 3 players this season who are most likely to win the NBA’s highest individual treasure: the Most Valuable Player award. Westbrook came in a close second in MVP projections, relatively close behind Cleveland’s LeBron James, but far ahead of the Forecast panel’s third-place nominee Durant, fittingly.

Let’s take a step back here. In retrospect, over the 8 seasons they played together, Westbrook has done very well in games that once partner-in-crime Durant did not play in.

According to ESPN.com, Westbrook rose to the challenge in those 48 Durant-less games, registering 30.5 points, 9.2 assists, and 7.6 rebounds, far more than his career averages of 21.5 points, 7.6 assists, and 5.6 rebounds.

Westbrook has also proven that he thrives in chaos, surmounting to great heights time and time again in the pressure-filled NBA Playoffs, where we see his numbers spike yet again.

Although we recognize Westbrook’s immense skill and athleticism, no one ever seriously considers him up there with the NBA’s greatest players like Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and now even Kevin Durant, just to name a few NBA legends resting atop basketball’s Mount Olympus. The discussion hardly, if ever, includes the 4th overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft, Russell Westbrook.

It is time for that to change.

I understand the Thunder’s roster presents less play-makers than previous years. But with Durant soaking up the sun on the West Coast now, the door is finally open for new heroes to emerge in championship-hungry Oklahoma.

I am not saying the 2016-2017 Oklahoma City Thunder are destined to win the title or that they are the best team out there. But for a team that has seemingly lost so much this off-season, I believe the old saying “less is more” may reign true this year for the Thunder.

You better start getting excited for that.