We are headed into the first NBA season since the 2008 NBA Draft that Russell Westbrook will not be on an NBA roster to start the regular season. While many anticipate that teams like the Rockets will be interested in signing Westbrook eventually near Christmas, he is also rumored to be considering offers from teams overseas.
However, according to NBA Insider Marc Stein, Westbrook has little to no interest in leaving the United States to go and play overseas. His representation is reportedly willing to wait until December instead of giving up on finding an NBA contract this season and move overseas.
“There has been ‘zero discussion’ to date about him weighing interest to play abroad this season, league sources say. He’d naturally generate a slew of overseas offers if he were open to them, but I’m told that securing his next NBA opportunity has been the focus for Westbrook’s camp. Even if that means, as it increasingly appears, options fail to materialize until after the 2025-26 regular season starts on Oct. 21,” said Stein as per his latest report.
Westbrook has already sacrificed a regular starter role, and in 2024-25, he averaged 13.3 points, 6.1 assists, and 4.9 rebounds while coming off the bench for the Nuggets. He shot 44.9% from the field but only 32.3% from beyond the arc. While his offensive output is nowhere close to where it was in his prime, his playmaking skills and veteran experience can help young guards grow on teams like the Kings and Rockets.
He declined a $3.5 million player option with the Nuggets, who reportedly did not have any more plans to play him in the coming season. Reliable sources have claimed that Westbrook could be looking at an extremely lucrative offer to play in China, for as much as four times the amount that the Kings could offer him this season. Yet, the former MVP seems adamant to fight and keep his NBA career alive instead of virtually giving up and going overseas.
Several players across the league believe that NBA franchises have blackballed the former MVP. Enes Kanter, the former NBA player, went as far as to blame the time Westbrook spent with LeBron James on the Lakers for being the reason why teams no longer want Westbrook. However, Kevin Durant’s comments on Westbrook’s future only make an NBA fan hope that the former MVP finds a home in the league, and if it becomes a reunion with Durant that leads to a championship eventually, then it would be a perfect storybook ending for Westbrook.
