As reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski earlier this week, Russell Westbook wants out of the Houston Rockets.
Rockets’ Russell Westbrook wants out of Houston, sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 12, 2020
Russ, who played just one season with Houston, is now officially on the trade block, and it seems inevitable that he’ll be donning a new jersey in just a few short weeks.
The problem is, the market for the 9x All-Star may not be as expansive as the Rockets had hoped…
Here's how sources describe the marketplace for a possible Russell Westbrook trade: Slow developing.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 13, 2020
Obviously, Westbrook is among the NBA’s elite point guards. Over his 12-year career in the league, he’s a 9x All-Star, 9x All-NBA player, 2017 MVP, and 2x Scoring Champ.
But for all his talent, Westbrook’s game is also highly controversial. Last season, he shot an abysmal 25% from beyond the arc, only further exposing his limitations on the offensive end. As a ball-handler, the star guard is often criticized for his poor decision-making and careless turnovers.
It’s also worth noting that he just recently celebrated his 32nd birthday, a reminder that the former UCLA phenom is headed for a downward trend athletically.
With teams like the Knicks, Hornets, and Lakers having been declared early candidates to trade for him, the possibility certainly exists that he could be on one of those three teams come December. But it is becoming clear that interest in acquiring the once highly-coveted superstar isn’t as high as it once was.
