Russell Westbrook reportedly wants to leave the Houston Rockets according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Westbrook was traded from the Oklahoma City Thunder to the Rockets last offseason with the hope of winning a championship alongside James Harden. After only one season in Houston finishing 4th in the Western Conference with a record of 44-28, Westbrook wants out of Houston.
Russell Westbrook is an elite point guard who has played with a lot of heart for his entire career but he hasn’t won an NBA championship.
In Oklahoma City, Westbrook and Kevin Durant made it to one finals appearance in 2012 when they matched up against the Big 3 of Miami, including LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh. The Thunder had a statement win in Game 1 over the Heat but proceeded to lose four straight games.
Westbrook hasn’t sniffed the finals since 2012 and when Durant decided to leave OKC for the Golden State Warriors, Durant went on to win two rings. During that span, Westbrook had a historic season winning the 2016-17 MVP award by averaging a triple-double but it only led to a first-round exit in the playoffs.
Westbrook, 32, still has an opportunity to become a champion if he can request a trade to a team with the right fit, culture and supporting cast.
Miami Heat
The Miami Heat are fresh off an overachieving postseason run by knocking off the no. 1 seeded Milwaukee Bucks and eliminating the ever hungry Boston Celtics. The Heat made it to the Finals and lost to the Lakers in six games. Although the Heat lost, they made it far because of their defense and heart.
Russell Westbrook fits the mold of the Heat since he always gives 110% of himself on the court. Westbrook will impact every facet of the game with his playmaking abilities, his rebounding, and hustle plays.
Jimmy Butler and Westbrook both have high egos but I could see them bringing out the best of each other. Both players love to compete and hate to lose. They would challenge each other in practice and in games making them a duo to watch.
The Heat would need to trade away Goran Dragić and some other assets but they have to retain their young core of Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro, and Duncan Robinson. This squad can make the Eastern Conference Finals and challenge a team like the Nets to make another finals appearance.
Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks have been atop of the Eastern Conference holding the no. 1 seed for the past two seasons. Unfortunately, the farthest the Bucks have gone is the Eastern Conference Finals in 2019 where they fell flat against the Toronto Raptors.
Despite these shortcomings, Milwaukee still has one of the most dominant players in the NBA with Giannis Antetokounmpo, a two-time MVP. The Greek Freak has put up incredible numbers in the playoffs but his teammates have fallen short. Khris Middleton, a two-time all-star, has disappeared for some games and Eric Bledsoe usually never shows up with putrid shooting percentages. Maybe an upgrade at the point guard position will propel the Bucks to a finals appearance.
A tandem of Westbrook and Giannis would dominate scoring points inside. Of course, these two would need snipers from the perimeter to kick out to if defenses clog up the paint. Keeping players such as Kyle Korver and George Hill would be crucial for this to work. The east has been the easier road to the finals for years and maybe Giannis and Westbrook could make it to the top.
Westbrook joining the Heat or the Bucks would elevate his legacy if he could win a championship with either squad. The window to win a championship is still open for the veteran point guard, will he capitalize on it?
Photo credits: NY Daily News, Inquisitr