The NBA landscape has changed so much in the last couple of weeks, with the latest big move being Russell Westbrook signing with the Los Angeles Clippers.
While adding a former MVP and surefire first-ballot Hall of Famer would normally be regarded as a great move, opinions are certainly split in this case. There have been many who have termed it as a potential disaster, but Stephen A. Smith stated on NBA Countdown that he won’t be surprised if the Clippers reach the NBA Finals after signing Westbrook.
“I’m not picking them to pull this off, but I wouldn’t be shocked if the Los Angeles Clippers ended up in the NBA Finals. If Kawhi Leonard and Paul George are healthy with an energizer bunny that is Russell Westbrook, considering what they were lacking from the point guard position, somebody who could create baskets for other people, I understand he is turnover-prone and I understand he has a penchant to be hard-headed time to time, but he’s got a great relationship with Paul George.”
“When you take that into consideration along with what the Clippers are lacking and that is a consistent presence on the basketball court because you never can get these guys to be on the court. That’s the one thing we cannot say about Russell Westbrook. The brother shows up to work and he is ready to put in that work and put in that time.”
“If you’ve got who I believe to be an exceptional coach, that is Ty Lue along with what Lawrence Frank and Ty Lue, and Steve Ballmer have built in Los Angeles with their personnel, give me a steady energizer bunny at the point guard spot who can get me 16 or 18 a game and about 8 assists, I’m taking that if I’m the Los Angeles Clippers. I’m not saying they’re going to the Conference Finals or the NBA Finals, but it wouldn’t surprise me if it happened.”
.@stephenasmith could see the Clippers going FAR with Russ 😳
"I wouldn't be surprised to see the Los Angeles Clippers in the NBA Finals."
(via NBA Countdown) pic.twitter.com/yrerEFIquf
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) February 25, 2023
Smith wanted to make it clear though that he is not picking them to go to the Finals. The Clippers certainly had the potential to make it that far even before this trade, provided they stayed healthy, and it is pretty much the same now as well. If Kawhi Leonard and Paul George don’t miss time come playoffs, the Clippers will be a big headache to deal with and while Westbrook has a lot of deficiencies, he does fit in somewhat well, on paper, with the Clippers as Smith points out.
Zach Lowe Feels The Clippers Just Took One Of The Biggest Late-Season Gambles Ever
Head coach Tyronn Lue stated after the move that the Clippers wanted Russ to be Russ. They want him to be the MVP and Hall-of-Famer that he is but those remarks did not sit well with Zach Lowe.
Lowe said he was shocked to hear Lue’s comments and added that if that is indeed how the Clippers envision Russ to be, then it is one of the biggest late-season gambles in NBA history. Lue did make it clear though that it will be within the confines of what they want to do as a team so they aren’t going to completely let him loose.
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