Russell Westbrook trade odds: Knicks, Clippers, Pistons, Bucks lead potential NBA partners in deal
Russell Westbrook has requested a trade from the Houston Rockets.
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It appears as if the Russell Westbrook Era with the Houston Rockets will last just one season as the former league MVP and triple-double king has requested a trade out after a tumultuous offseason where the Rockets lost both their head coach, Mike D'Antoni, and general manager, Daryl Morey, SportsLine offers NBA odds on where Westbrook could land – no trades can be made until Nov. 16 and in fact some around the league believe he will open the season with Houston.
Both Westbrook and James Harden were pushing for the Rockets to replace D'Antoni with Ty Lue, but Lue chose to take over the Clippers. Stephen Silas got the Houston job. Morey, of course, was the guy who traded a ton of draft picks last offseason to Oklahoma City for Westbrook, but Morey stepped down and took a similar job with the 76ers.
The moves Houston made on the bench and the front office reportedly were part of the reason Westbrook wants out, but it's more that he wants to be the "floor general" like he was in Oklahoma City. Westbrook will never have that role with the Rockets because they are Harden's team.
Westbrook is a nine-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA first team, two-time scoring champion, two-time assists leader, was the 2016-17 NBA MVP and averaged a triple-double an unprecedented three straight seasons for the Thunder. Last year with Houston, he averaged 27.2 points, 7.9 rebounds and 7.0 assists.
Every team in the NBA would want a guy like that, right? To quote Lee Corso: Not so fast, my friend. The three-point shot has never been more important in the league than it is now, and Westbrook can't shoot from deep. He hit just 25.8 percent last season. In the NBA playoff bubble, he was largely terrible overall.
However, the elephant in the room is that Westbrook is owed a whopping $131.5 million over the next three years including a $46.7 million player option in 2022-23 that he absolutely will exercise. Westbrook already is 32 (birthday today actually), his game is based on speed/power, and he might not age well.
In the NBA, trades essentially have to include matching salaries so that severely limits some teams' ability to deal for Russ. Sure, the Lakers would love to put him alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis, but the Lakers have no cap room and really no assets Houston would want anyway.
How ironic would it be for the Clippers to land Westbrook after previously trading for his Thunder teammate Paul George? No doubt Westbrook would love a trade to L.A. as he's from there. The Clippers don't have much in the way of draft assets to send Houston due to the George trade and might have to gut their depth to land him by sending the likes of Patrick Beverley, Lou Williams and Ivica Zubac to Houston.
The Knicks aren't close to being a playoff team, so in that respect Westbrook wouldn't make much sense. That said, New York is a star-driven city and Westbrook would at least give the franchise credibility as no big-time free agents have even considered the Knicks (think Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving) in recent years. New York also the second-most cap space in the NBA with more than $48 million. The Knicks could send a bunch of flotsam on expiring contracts (Julius Randle, Bobby Portis, Taj Gibson) and perhaps a late first-round draft pick to Houston.
Perhaps the easiest trade? A one-for-one between the Pistons and Rockets where Detroit sends All-Star forward Blake Griffin to Houston for Westbrook. Detroit has been looking for a star for years and Westbrook is a bigger one than Griffin, who would keep the Rockets still relevant in the West. Griffin is still a fine player but injury-prone. In this scenario, Houston probably would have to include a draft pick. The Pistons' new GM is Troy Weaver, a former Thunder front office guy who pushed to draft Westbrook at No. 4 overall in the 2008 draft.
Milwaukee is going to do something this offseason to appease superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Westbrook would be an upgrade on Eric Bledsoe – but the Bucks likely don't have much the Rockets would want and may prefer Paul. If the Phoenix Suns get Paul first, then Milwaukee could pounce on Westbrook.
There have been rumors Charlotte could get involved, and that is one of the most star-less teams in the NBA. Plus, there is a branding connection between Westbrook and Hornets owner Michael Jordan. But it frankly wouldn't make much sense to add Russ and his huge salary with the franchise in a full-blown rebuild.
Atlanta reportedly will be very aggressive this offseason to finally return to the playoffs and has a ton of cap space, but how would a backcourt of Westbrook and Trae Young work? That would be a defensive disaster for sure.
How much fun would a Memphis backcourt of 2019-20 Rookie of the Year Ja Morant and Westbrook be? The Grizzlies could send the likes of Gorgui Dieng, Kyle Anderson and Tyus Jones to Houston to match Westbrook's salary. Westbrook was Morant's favorite player growing up.
Chicago is now coached by former Thunder coach Billy Donovan and also need some big-name buzz someone like Westbrook would bring. The Bulls could build a deal around the expiring contract of Otto Porter Jr.
We are including Phoenix only as the Suns clearly are looking for a point guard upgrade, but they seem more likely to trade for Paul.
With Morey now in Philadelphia, one can never rule out the 76ers, but would Houston really want the overpaid Tobias Harris or Al Horford on long-term deals? Probably not. Plus, the Sixers need perimeter shooting badly and that's not Westbrook.
The market for Westbrook definitely could be affected by Paul as well as if the New Orleans Pelicans trade Jrue Holiday. Both those guys have more value than Westbrook. Also keep in mind the draft is Nov. 18.
Via SportsLine NBA oddsmakers: If the Rockets trade Russell Westbrook, where will he land?
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