Westbrook started the 2022-23 campaign with the Los Angeles Lakers but ended up being traded to the Jazz ahead of the NBA trade deadline.

Westbrook joined the Lakers in the summer of 2021, looking to team up with LeBron James and Anthony Davis in an attempt to compete for an NBA title. But the move turned out to be disastrous for all sides involved, as the Lakers underperformed in 2021-22, and Westbrook ended up shouldering the majority of the blame for the team’s bad performances.

Entering the 2022-23 season, Westbrook made the biggest adjustment of his career and moved to the bench in hopes of resolving some of the concerns surrounding his fit with James and Davis. But despite being productive in his new role, averaging 15.9 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 7.5 assists per game, Westbrook was still shipped out to Jazz as the Lakers looked to create a more balanced roster.

The Jazz never intended to have Russell Westbrook suit up for them, giving the player permission to talk with other teams and see if there is a destination for him in case of the buyout. Westbrook considered the Washington Wizards and the Chicago Bulls, among other teams but eventually settled on the Clippers. By staying in LA, he will have a chance to be part of a championship contender while reuniting with his former Oklahoma City Thunder teammate Paul George.

Westbrook has nine All-Star nods and nine All-NBA honors since entering the league as a fourth overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft. He averaged a triple-double in four of his 15 seasons as a pro and has the most triple-doubles in the history of the league.

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Shams Charania reports that the framework of the trade would see Westbrook heading to the Utah Jazz alongside the Lakers’ Top 4 protected pick in 2027. The Timberwolves are getting veteran guard Mike Conley Jr. and a second-rounder, while the Lakers will get Russell, Malik Beasley, and Jarred Vanderbilt.

For the Lakers, the deal was about turning Westbrook into multiple players that can contribute right away and are a better fit with their two best players, LeBron James and Anthony Davis. They are definitely getting that in this deal, especially with Russell, who will bring badly-needed shooting to the team. It is a sort of homecoming for Russell, who started his career with the Lakers as the team’s second overall pick in 2015.

The Timberwolves, on the other hand, wanted to move Russell as they didn’t see him as a long-term part of their future. They are getting an experienced guard in Conley, who has a good relationship with their center Rudy Gobert and is well respected for the leadership he brings.

Finally, for Utah, it is all about collecting assets. They are not only receiving a highly-desirable Lakers’ pick that will come in the post-LeBron James era but also Westbrook’s mammoth expiring contract that will bring them the necessary salary cap reset during this rebuild.

Westbrook, who was demoted to the bench role by the Lakers this season, isn’t expected to suit up for the Jazz at any point. He will most likely get a buyout in the coming days and sign with either Miami Heat or the Los Angeles Clippers.

The post Lakers Trade Away Russell Westbrook, Get D’Angelo Russell in a 3-Team Trade appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Wizards general manager Tommy Sheppard had a chat with Chris Miller of NBC Sports Washington and said that Westbrook kept a “professional” attitude prior to leaving for Los Angeles. According to Sheppard, the 2017 NBA MVP only expressed interest in being traded if that meant he’d join the Lakers.

“Russell actually never asked to move on,” Sheppard told Miller. “He just said, ‘If I can get to the Lakers, that’d be something I would love to do. If not, I’ll be back here.'”

Sheppard also revealed that he proposed the Los Angeles Clippers as a potential destination, but Westbrook wasn’t open to that idea.

“So Russell was happy being here, and we were very grateful for him being here,” he added.

Westbrook ended up getting his wish and will now play in front of his hometown crowd alongside fellow superstars LeBron James and Anthony Davis. The Wizards, on the other hand, received a strong package in return that includes Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Montrezl Harrell, and Kyle Kuzma, which will allow them to build around their All-Star Bradley Beal.

Westbrook spent one season with the Wizards and averaged 22.2 points per game alongside a career-high 11.5 rebounds and 11.7 assists. Washington made it to the playoffs through a play-in tournament before being eliminated in the first round against the Philadelphia 76ers.

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ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Tim MacMahon reported on Wednesday that both Harden and Westbrook are unsure about their future with the Rockets. The pair is reportedly concerned about the direction that the franchise has taken lately and voiced their doubts to the front office and team ownership.

Sources close to the organization told Wojnarowski and MacMahon that the Rockets’ All-Stars haven’t asked to be traded but that this scenario became a possibility.

Houston Rockets have been in the mix for the NBA title for the past several years but couldn’t get over the hump. They have been eliminated in the Conference semi-finals three times in the past four years while also blowing up a 3-2 lead in Conference finals in 2017/18.

Now, the overwhelming opinion around the league is that their championship window is closed, considering the team’s lack of assets and ways to improve an aging roster.

Rockets don’t have their draft picks this year or in 2024 and 2026, while Oklahoma City Thunder holds the right to make a pick swap in 2021 and 2025. They also lack in prominent young players that they could use in potential deals.

Another issue for the Rockets is the tricky salary cap situation, courtesy of James Harden and Russell Westbrook’s max contracts. Harden and Russell are owed $131.5 million each in the next three seasons while they also have additional player options worth north of $46.5 million.

It remains to be seen whether the new Rockets’ front office can get creative and make moves that could make Harden and Westbrook happy. If not, then this will be the beginning of an end for Rockets as we knew them for the past five years.

The post James Harden and Russell Westbrook Unsure About Their Future with Rockets appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

There are several teams who are interested in acquiring Westbrook, who won NBA MVP Award in 2017, but the Detroit Pistons, Houston Rockets, and Miami Heat are expected to be the most aggressive in trying to get the deal done with the Thunder.

The Pistons want to get back to being a contender in the Eastern Conference and think that pairing Westbrook with Blake Griffin would propel them into the East elite. They are also the team that can offer the most enticing package to Thunder in trade talks.

Rockets’ general Daryl Morey is known to be hunting for deals all year long, so Houston’s interest in Russell Westbrook isn’t surprising. The issue here is that the Rockets don’t have much to work with given the fact that they still have Chris Paul’s $125 million contract on the books. Sources close to the team described the trade as “a long shot.”

Finally, Heat are facing a similar problem to the Rockets as they previously spent some of their assets on acquiring Jimmy Butler in a sign-and-trade deal. Their only chance is that Thunder is valuing Goran Dragic’s expiring deal and would be willing to have some salary relief next summer.

Point guard-needy teams like Chicago Bulls and Orlando Magic are believed to be exploring the possibility of adding Westbrook as well, but they are still to formally engage in talks with OKC.

The post Pistons, Rockets, and Heat Interested in OKC’s All-Star Russell Westbrook appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Westbrook started the 2022-23 campaign with the Los Angeles Lakers but ended up being traded to the Jazz ahead of the NBA trade deadline.

Westbrook joined the Lakers in the summer of 2021, looking to team up with LeBron James and Anthony Davis in an attempt to compete for an NBA title. But the move turned out to be disastrous for all sides involved, as the Lakers underperformed in 2021-22, and Westbrook ended up shouldering the majority of the blame for the team’s bad performances.

Entering the 2022-23 season, Westbrook made the biggest adjustment of his career and moved to the bench in hopes of resolving some of the concerns surrounding his fit with James and Davis. But despite being productive in his new role, averaging 15.9 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 7.5 assists per game, Westbrook was still shipped out to Jazz as the Lakers looked to create a more balanced roster.

The Jazz never intended to have Russell Westbrook suit up for them, giving the player permission to talk with other teams and see if there is a destination for him in case of the buyout. Westbrook considered the Washington Wizards and the Chicago Bulls, among other teams but eventually settled on the Clippers. By staying in LA, he will have a chance to be part of a championship contender while reuniting with his former Oklahoma City Thunder teammate Paul George.

Westbrook has nine All-Star nods and nine All-NBA honors since entering the league as a fourth overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft. He averaged a triple-double in four of his 15 seasons as a pro and has the most triple-doubles in the history of the league.

The post Russell Westbrook Plans to Sign With the Clippers appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Shams Charania reports that the framework of the trade would see Westbrook heading to the Utah Jazz alongside the Lakers’ Top 4 protected pick in 2027. The Timberwolves are getting veteran guard Mike Conley Jr. and a second-rounder, while the Lakers will get Russell, Malik Beasley, and Jarred Vanderbilt.

For the Lakers, the deal was about turning Westbrook into multiple players that can contribute right away and are a better fit with their two best players, LeBron James and Anthony Davis. They are definitely getting that in this deal, especially with Russell, who will bring badly-needed shooting to the team. It is a sort of homecoming for Russell, who started his career with the Lakers as the team’s second overall pick in 2015.

The Timberwolves, on the other hand, wanted to move Russell as they didn’t see him as a long-term part of their future. They are getting an experienced guard in Conley, who has a good relationship with their center Rudy Gobert and is well respected for the leadership he brings.

Finally, for Utah, it is all about collecting assets. They are not only receiving a highly-desirable Lakers’ pick that will come in the post-LeBron James era but also Westbrook’s mammoth expiring contract that will bring them the necessary salary cap reset during this rebuild.

Westbrook, who was demoted to the bench role by the Lakers this season, isn’t expected to suit up for the Jazz at any point. He will most likely get a buyout in the coming days and sign with either Miami Heat or the Los Angeles Clippers.

The post Lakers Trade Away Russell Westbrook, Get D’Angelo Russell in a 3-Team Trade appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Wizards general manager Tommy Sheppard had a chat with Chris Miller of NBC Sports Washington and said that Westbrook kept a “professional” attitude prior to leaving for Los Angeles. According to Sheppard, the 2017 NBA MVP only expressed interest in being traded if that meant he’d join the Lakers.

“Russell actually never asked to move on,” Sheppard told Miller. “He just said, ‘If I can get to the Lakers, that’d be something I would love to do. If not, I’ll be back here.'”

Sheppard also revealed that he proposed the Los Angeles Clippers as a potential destination, but Westbrook wasn’t open to that idea.

“So Russell was happy being here, and we were very grateful for him being here,” he added.

Westbrook ended up getting his wish and will now play in front of his hometown crowd alongside fellow superstars LeBron James and Anthony Davis. The Wizards, on the other hand, received a strong package in return that includes Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Montrezl Harrell, and Kyle Kuzma, which will allow them to build around their All-Star Bradley Beal.

Westbrook spent one season with the Wizards and averaged 22.2 points per game alongside a career-high 11.5 rebounds and 11.7 assists. Washington made it to the playoffs through a play-in tournament before being eliminated in the first round against the Philadelphia 76ers.

The post Russell Westbrook “Actually Never Asked to Move On” Says Wizards GM appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Tim MacMahon reported on Wednesday that both Harden and Westbrook are unsure about their future with the Rockets. The pair is reportedly concerned about the direction that the franchise has taken lately and voiced their doubts to the front office and team ownership.

Sources close to the organization told Wojnarowski and MacMahon that the Rockets’ All-Stars haven’t asked to be traded but that this scenario became a possibility.

Houston Rockets have been in the mix for the NBA title for the past several years but couldn’t get over the hump. They have been eliminated in the Conference semi-finals three times in the past four years while also blowing up a 3-2 lead in Conference finals in 2017/18.

Now, the overwhelming opinion around the league is that their championship window is closed, considering the team’s lack of assets and ways to improve an aging roster.

Rockets don’t have their draft picks this year or in 2024 and 2026, while Oklahoma City Thunder holds the right to make a pick swap in 2021 and 2025. They also lack in prominent young players that they could use in potential deals.

Another issue for the Rockets is the tricky salary cap situation, courtesy of James Harden and Russell Westbrook’s max contracts. Harden and Russell are owed $131.5 million each in the next three seasons while they also have additional player options worth north of $46.5 million.

It remains to be seen whether the new Rockets’ front office can get creative and make moves that could make Harden and Westbrook happy. If not, then this will be the beginning of an end for Rockets as we knew them for the past five years.

The post James Harden and Russell Westbrook Unsure About Their Future with Rockets appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

There are several teams who are interested in acquiring Westbrook, who won NBA MVP Award in 2017, but the Detroit Pistons, Houston Rockets, and Miami Heat are expected to be the most aggressive in trying to get the deal done with the Thunder.

The Pistons want to get back to being a contender in the Eastern Conference and think that pairing Westbrook with Blake Griffin would propel them into the East elite. They are also the team that can offer the most enticing package to Thunder in trade talks.

Rockets’ general Daryl Morey is known to be hunting for deals all year long, so Houston’s interest in Russell Westbrook isn’t surprising. The issue here is that the Rockets don’t have much to work with given the fact that they still have Chris Paul’s $125 million contract on the books. Sources close to the team described the trade as “a long shot.”

Finally, Heat are facing a similar problem to the Rockets as they previously spent some of their assets on acquiring Jimmy Butler in a sign-and-trade deal. Their only chance is that Thunder is valuing Goran Dragic’s expiring deal and would be willing to have some salary relief next summer.

Point guard-needy teams like Chicago Bulls and Orlando Magic are believed to be exploring the possibility of adding Westbrook as well, but they are still to formally engage in talks with OKC.

The post Pistons, Rockets, and Heat Interested in OKC’s All-Star Russell Westbrook appeared first on yoursportspot.com.