NEWSLETTER
One season after the Houston Rockets acquired Russell Westbrook, they will trade him away (er, probably).
According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, the superstar point guard wants to leave James Harden and Co. behind.
Rockets’ Russell Westbrook wants out of Houston, sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 12, 2020
Rumors about a possible Westbrook trade first surfaced the other day, but things really picked up steam Wednesday morning when ESPN officially reported that both Westbrook and James Harden “expressed concerns about the Rockets’ immediate future.”
Why, Russell Westbrook?
The news doesn’t come as a major surprise, especially with the Houston franchise entering a new era (Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta let long-time general manager Daryl Morey go earlier this offseason, as well as head coach Mike D’Antoni). The whole Westbrook-Harden experiment also didn’t go according to plan in 2019-20. The team failed to be a real force in the playoffs – struggling to make it past OKC in the first round and losing in five to the Lakers. All things considered, the team was pretty lucky to finish 4th in the Western Conference.
Next Questions
We now have two major questions to consider: (1) Where does Westbrook go? (2) And what does this mean for Harden? The Knicks have already been rumored to have interest in Westbrook, which I don’t think any of us are surprised to hear (#DesperateKnicks). They could become legitimate suitors with a couple of young assets already on the roster and the No. 8 pick at their disposal. Otherwise, it’s a bit hard to find a perfect match, but I’m sure other teams will come out of the woodwork.
How About the Bulls?
Technically, ESPN’s Bobby Marks did list Chicago as a possible destination for Westbrook, but that appears to be more out of financial fit than anything (the team does also have his former head coach, though, which is noteworthy). I just don’t think the Bulls acquiring Westbrook makes a ton of sense when we consider their current trajectory. Arturas Karnisovas is in a position to have max-level cap space available next season, so I have to imagine he’s more interested in developing his current young talent now, before making his big move then.
Marks also mentions the Hawks, Hornets, Pistons, Clippers, Lakers, Grizzlies, Heat, Bucks, Knicks, and Suns … so it’s not exactly a small group.
As for the Harden portion of all this, it looks like he isn’t going anywhere.
Houston's James Harden remains committed to the Rockets and is "locked in" for the season, sources tell @KellyIkoNBA and me.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 12, 2020
