Russell Westbrook has been struggling to find his feet in the NBA since his tenure with the OKC Thunder ended, bouncing from franchise to franchise every season. Despite looking promising at times for the Rockets, Wizards, Lakers, and Clippers, Westbrook is finding it increasingly difficult to find a situation where he can contribute to a winning situation. Maybe the Miami Heat is the place for him.
Westbrook had a strong game against the Mavericks but is largely struggling this season. He is averaging 12.2 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 5.4 assists and hasn’t been the help many assumed he would be coming off the bench. He was playing well before the James Harden acquisition, so it seems the Clippers have inadvertently put Westbrook in a situation where he can’t succeed. Both Harden and Westbrook on the same roster are redundant, so why can’t the Clippers look to add some end-of-the-bench depth while helping the Heat out with their point guard problem?
Trade Details
Los Angeles Clippers Receive: Josh Richardson, Thomas Bryant
Miami Heat Receive: Russell Westbrook
The Clippers add a wing to fill out their rotation while adding another versatile big man to their lineup while letting Westbrook go to a new destination where he could have a role.
Clippers Streamline Their Roster
The Harden trade messed up the Clippers’ roster and has upset the depth they boasted prior to it. Losing four players for one is a massive hit, and if the Clippers can get two usable NBA players in this trade, they should pounce at it. Richardson adds more wing play behind Kawhi Leonard and Paul George and could also be a solid 3-and-D option in lineups featuring Harden, Leonard, and George on the floor together.
Richardson is averaging 8.9 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 2.9 assists on the Heat this season, returning to the franchise that drafted him this summer. Thomas Bryant signed to provide center depth and has averaged 5.3 points and 3.8 rebounds this season. Despite his obvious talents, it doesn’t look like the Heat need his style of a center as much as the Clippers could. Bryant’s could be a big option that could play alongside Zubac or Theis, or provide a different option for lineup variations.
Westbrook going can reintroduce Bones Hyland to the lineup, who lost his minutes after the Harden trade. This trade gives the Clippers more balance instead of trying to run different styles of play throughout the game to accommodate both Westbrook and Harden into the roster.
The Miami Heat Find An Answer For Their Point Guard Struggles
The Miami Heat haven’t been able to rely on a solid point guard in the last few seasons. Despite a big move to acquire Kyle Lowry in 2021, Lowry’s decline has hit the team harder than they expected, with the team even thinking about waiving Lowry before the season. Tyler Herro was providing really good play from the point before injury ruled him out for the season. The Heat even lost Dru Smith to a season-ending knee injury due to a freak accident on the Cavaliers’ court.
Westbrook and Lowry are both old for a point guard rotation, but Westbrook has proven to be extremely durable. He also fits well into Heat culture with his work ethic and will be given a genuine chance to succeed. His ability as a facilitator and passer hasn’t disappeared, as he showed before the Harden trade. Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo could both benefit from it, while corner shooters like Duncan Robinson and Kevin Love will get an explosive guard that can create quick shooting opportunities for them.
This is the only real contending situation that could fit Westbrook’s play style, with the Heat needing a point guard like him to open up the floor for their roster. Even when Herro is back, he’ll be the perfect scoring complement to a backcourt with Westbrook, who’ll make up for Herro’s lack of POA defense and aggression, creating a very complementary guard duo.
Russell Westbrook’s Career Could Be In Jeopardy
This trade could save Russell Westbrook from having his career end in unceremonious fashion. He’s quickly running out of winning situations to try and contribute to. He has some positive arguments in his favor, averaging 15.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 7.0 assists before the Harden trade this season, leading the Clippers to a record above .500. Ever since Harden joined, the Clippers have struggled to find an offensive identity.
Westbrook’s inability to fit into situations that play a specific way has been concerning, but the Heat could use him similarly to how they use Kyle Lowry right now. Lowry is averaging 8.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 4.4 assists, so it’ll be hard for Westbrook to underperform based on those expectations. The Clippers have problems that have no short-term solution for Westbrook, so an opportunity on the Heat could extend his career in the NBA on a winning team.
The Clippers don’t need him anymore and the Heat could use him. Both teams should definitely at least discuss a possible trade to see if this can be made a reality.
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