Rob Pelinka made a mistake when he traded for Russell Westbrook. He finally fixed it by revamping the Los Angeles Lakers roster and sending him away. Now, he’s on the verge of being bought out and will be free to join another team.
Needless to say, there should be plenty of interest in the former MVP once he becomes a free agent. He’s still an outstanding player, just not one that someone would gladly pay $47 million to get.
The Los Angeles Clippers were reportedly interested in an upgrade at the PG position, with Westbrook as the likeliest candidate. Now, however, a report states that team officials might not be so sure about that anymore.
NBA Rumors: Clippers Don’t Know If Russell Westbrook Will Be A Good Fit
(Transcript via Andrew Grieff— Los Angeles Times)
“With the trade deadline over, the market for players bought out of their contracts now opens. With one roster spot still available, the Clippers will evaluate options but are not expected to be active in scouring the market for buyout additions.
One such name said to hold interest in joining the Clippers, in particular, is former Lakers point guard Russell Westbrook, who was traded to Utah on Wednesday, but insiders across the league expressed skepticism Westbrook would ultimately land in L.A., describing it as a limited possibility because of questions about fit.
The Clippers have sought guards who can defend at the point of attack while spacing the court around their core of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George with shooting. Of the 55 players who have taken at least 700 shots this season, Westbrook’s 41.7% accuracy ranks fifth-worst.”
Now, the Chicago Bulls have reportedly emerged as the frontrunner to sign Westbrook for the remainder of the season, but that might just be another temporary stop before finding a place to play the final years of his NBA career.