2 , ▁after ▁un success fully ▁negoti ating ▁a ▁contract ▁extension , ▁Pr esti ▁trad ed ▁reign ing ▁Six th ▁Man ▁of ▁the ▁Year ▁James ▁H arden , ▁along ▁with ▁Center ▁Cole ▁Ald rich ▁and ▁for wards ▁Da equ an ▁Cook ▁and ▁Laz ar ▁Hay ward ▁to ▁the ▁Houston ▁Rock ets ▁for ▁gu ards ▁Kevin ▁Martin , ▁Jer emy ▁Lamb , ▁two ▁first ▁round ▁pick s ▁and ▁a ▁second ▁round ▁pick . ▁ ▁On ▁July ▁ 4 , ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁Kevin ▁Durant ▁part ed ▁ways ▁with ▁Oklahoma ▁City , ▁task ing ▁Pr esti ▁with ▁retain ing ▁Russell ▁West bro ok ▁or ▁otherwise ▁re building ▁the ▁ro ster ▁from ▁scratch . ▁On ▁August ▁ 4 , ▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁Pr esti ▁held ▁a ▁press ▁conference ▁at ▁the ▁Ch es ape ake ▁Energy ▁Arena ▁to ▁announ ce ▁that ▁West bro ok ▁had ▁extended ▁his ▁contract ▁until ▁July ▁ 2 0 1 8 . ▁Following ▁a ▁mod est ▁ 2 0 1 6 - 2 0 1 7 ▁season ▁with ▁Oklahoma ▁City , ▁Pr esti ▁was ▁the ▁driving ▁force ▁behind ▁two ▁major ▁ac quis itions ▁during ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁off ▁season ▁as ▁Paul ▁George ▁and ▁Car m elo ▁Anthony ▁would ▁join ▁the ▁Th under . ▁ ▁After ▁gradu ating ▁from ▁Con cord - Car lis le ▁High ▁School , ▁Pr esti ▁attended ▁Virginia ▁Wes ley an ▁College ▁from ▁ 1 9 9 5 – 9 7 , ▁where ▁he ▁played ▁Division ▁III ▁basketball . ▁He ▁graduated ▁in