Russell Westbrook is one of the best point guards of his generation, and his salary reflects that as well. Coming off his MVP in 2017, Westbrook signed a 5-year contract with the Oklahoma City Thunder that saw him become the highest-paid player in the NBA with the total contract value being $206 million.
The deal kicked in from the 2018-19 season and will see its end at the end of the 2022-23 season. Russ has been on a different team every year of this contract, starting it in OKC before spending single seasons at Houston and Washington before being traded to LA.
It looks like Westbrook will be spending another season with the Lakers and making them the first team that actually had to pay 2 years of this enormous deal. Adrian Wojnarowski has reported that Westbrook will accept the player option on his contract and earn $47,063,478 from the Lakers next season.
BREAKING: Russell Westbrook is expected to opt into the final year of his contract by the end of the month, via @wojespn.
He will make $47 million next season 👀 pic.twitter.com/FgUgbvy3S7
— Lakers All Day Everyday (@LADEig) June 9, 2022
The Westbrook contract is an albatross no team has wanted to bear since he was given the extension. The Thunder decided to hit the rebuild after Paul George requested a trade to the Clippers and sent Russ to Houston for a chance at contention. After a good season but poor playoffs, Westbrook was sent to Washington for John Wall.
Westbrook had a monster statistical season, hitting a rich vein of form in the second half of the season and taking the Wizards to the playoffs. It seems that was the Lakers’ undoing, as Westbrook’s form meant they sent a roster full of good wings that have chemistry with LeBron to Washington for a ball-dominant guard.
Stylistically, it hasn’t worked so far. Darvin Ham is optimistic he can get the best out of Westbrook, especially defensively. There is just one more season of this contract, so the Lakers will get massive flexibility from their cap after it expires.
