The Los Angeles Lakers had a disastrous year-and-a-half stint with Russell Westbrook, so fans won’t be surprised that the veteran isn’t drawing any interest in free agency. Jake Fischer said the Sacramento Kings don’t want to bring him back, and he hasn’t heard anything about Westbrook in weeks. The nine-time All-Star didn’t sign until mid-October last year, and he may be forced into retirement.
His downfall started with the Lakers. Westbrook finished 11th in MVP voting in 2021, but he didn’t fit next to LeBron James and Anthony Davis. The disastrous trade to acquire him is still haunting the purple and gold five years later. LA had to give up a first-round pick to dump him at the 2023 deadline, and things have only gone downhill from there.
Russ has played for three different teams in the last three years. He has accepted a bench role and just produced the worst win shares per 48 minutes of his career. The Kings had a negative-13.3 net rating with Westbrook on the floor last season. He isn’t helping his team win, and the veteran may finally be forced out of the league.
Lakers fans won’t be surprised about latest Russell Westbrook rumors
The 2017 MVP needs the ball in his hands to be effective. He is a below-average 3-point shooter and struggles on defense. Westbrook is a bucket that averaged a triple-double every night in his prime. Sadly, his game hasn’t aged well. Russ can still score, but it is not resulting in winning.
The Lakers, Clippers, Nuggets, and now Kings have given up on him since 2023. He has played for six different teams since leaving the Thunder. Denver is the only team to win a playoff series with him on their roster since 2016, when OKC reached the conference finals. Westbrook is a legend and a future Hall of Famer, but things quickly fell apart when he was no longer a star.
The Lakers have missed the playoffs just once in the last seven years, and it was the only full season with Westbrook on their roster. They traded for him to be the third star next to LeBron James and Anthony Davis, but he struggled in a primarily off-ball role. The Lakers made the conference finals just months after dumping him in 2023.
No team is signing Westbrook to be their primary creator at this stage of his career. He turns 38 in November and has been slowly declining for years. Westbrook has not always bought into his role and has struggled to fit with several teams. Those are all reasons the former MVP won’t find a suitor in free agency.
He is not returning to the purple and gold. The Lakers are building around Luka Doncic and trying to make the pieces fit. LA made progress this summer, but still has work to do.
Los Angeles Lakers fans aren’t surprised Russell Westbrook may be forced into retirement. They saw his problematic fit on a contending roster a half-decade ago. Things have only gotten worse. Russ has no rumored suitors in free agency, and he may have already played his last NBA game.
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