NBA: Westbrook apparently to the Clippers

Next up will probably be the Los Angeles Clippers with Russell Westbrook. It should be the last chance for him to still win the NBA title. But is that realistic?

Russell Westbrook’s career has been quite turbulent, almost paradoxical, in recent years.

Since 2019, the former NBA MVP has played for four different teams, with the LA Clippers, a fifth seems to be added. Prior to that, the feisty playmaker spent 12 seasons with the same team, the Oklahoma City Thunder, and had his strongest spell there. (DATA: NBA results and schedule)

But when he left there, not only did his career lose consistency, but also his game. Westbrook broke one record after another at OKC – mostly these had to do with triple-doubles – he degenerated more and more into a supplementary player in his further stations.

The paradox: His salary grew from year to year. And even now, at the age of 34, he still gets a base salary of a good 47 million dollars.

Recently, however, he has not really been able to prove that Westbrook is worth so much money. He was a starter for the Los Angeles Lakers last season and started all 78 games from the start. (NEWS: Lakers werden Westbrook los)

In the current regular season, the point guard was only three times in the starting five. His other values ​​have also decreased, in particular the throw rate from the field is extremely poor at 41.7 percent.

The 65.5 percent from the free-throw line even means his worst result since the start of his NBA career.

In his best season 2016/17, when he played an average of one triple-double and set a new record with 42 “triple doubles”, the rate was still 84.5 percent. Westbrook has never been a good three-pointer anyway.

The Lakers couldn’t wait to thread a trade that would ship Westbrook to Utah. The Jazz, who played without any playoff ambitions, had no need anyway, which is why both sides worked on a buyout.

As NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski reports, the 34-year-old will now join the Los Angeles Clippers. But what do the Clippers hope for from the athletic player?

As heard from mostly well-informed journalists from the USA, the LA franchise plans on Westbrook – if not immediately – as a starting point guard. (NEWS: All current information about the NBA)

A classic playmaker with the level of title ambitions is missing from the squad of coach Tyronn Lue’s team. Bones Hyland and Jason Preston are still too inexperienced at 22 and 23 years old respectively.

Most recently, shooting guard Terance Mann was allowed to play on the one, and superstar Paul George also conducted at times. But the 1A solution should be Westbrook. If possible, he should use his qualities as a passer and rebounder and take a back seat as a thrower.

However, the Lakers already had this plan. And before that the Washington Wizards, as well as the Houston Rockets, where the dunking specialist had moved in 2019. The project failed everywhere, also because his defense left a lot to be desired.

More importantly, Westbrook has the potential – if he adjusts his game a little – to improve upon the strong side that includes superstars George and Kawhi Leonard.

To do this, however, he must realize that he is not the one the Clippers game is designed for.

In his past stints, Westbrook made the mistake of hitting the basket too often, throwing from bad positions and provoking fouls despite his miserable free-throw yield.

In any case, he has yet to prove that he can give a team structure in attack with sense and reason.

The Clippers – like many teams before them – still have hope that this time everything will be different and that the 34-year-old is the missing piece of the puzzle in the race for the NBA title. (DATA: All tables of the NBA)

It would also be his first championship. The chance at the Clippers should be his last. Otherwise, Westbrook’s fall from mediocrity to insignificance threatens.