The Russell Westbrook experiment in Houston did not go well, and with the Rockets retooling its roster, he’s been rumored to be on the trade block.
A new regime has taken over in Houston, with former general manager Daryl Morey having parted ways with the team, so there’s no one calling the shots that has ties to Westbrook. That makes him expendable, and it’s easy to see why the Rockets would want to get off his massive contract, given that he’s set to make $41.36 million this upcoming season.
There are some other teams out there with plenty of salary cap room, and Westbrook might make more sense on one of those squads, especially with the revenue hit owners and players will be taking. Apparently, that could end up happening, as a report from Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer has linked him to the Knicks.
The report states that the Rockets could look to move Westbrook, and it adds that the Clippers and Knicks are interested in a potential trade.
New York makes a lot of sense as a potential landing spot, but Los Angeles already has a number of star cooks in its kitchen. A culture clash of personalities hurt the Clippers in the playoffs just a few months ago, so pairing Westbrook with Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and others doesn’t make all that much sense. It would also likely result in the Clippers having to pay the luxury tax, although Steve Ballmer can certainly afford it.
