Report: Russell Westbrook Accepting Role 'Far More Challenging' Than Clippers Led On
May 4, 2024
Even though Russell Westbrook put on a strong public face about his bench role this season, the Los Angeles Clippers did a lot of work behind the scenes to convince the former NBA MVP to accept being a sixth man.
Per The Athletic's Sam Amick and Law Murray, people within the Clippers organization and the league indicated the process to get Westbrook to agree to come off the bench was "far more challenging behind the scenes" than it was made out to be publicly.
When Westbrook originally signed with the Clippers in February 2023, he started 26 straight games for them between the regular season and playoffs last season.
The Clippers signed Westbrook to a two-year, $7.9 million deal last summer. He entered this season as their starting point guard for the first 10 games, but the acquisition of James Harden on Nov. 1 eventually pushed him to the bench.
Speaking to Joey Linn of All Clippers after a Dec. 16 win over the New York Knicks, Westbrook opened up about doing what was in the best interest of the team:
"I've been in the league so long, I understand the definition of true sacrifice and understanding what that looks like. Sometimes it might not be how you want it, but if it's for the betterment of the team, that's the most important part. This is a team game, and I know the most important goal—that's to win a championship."
Amick and Murray noted Westbrook "often mentioned" how he felt he could play more after returning from a fractured hand that required surgery.
The nine-time All-Star missed 12 games due to the injury. He did start and play 40 minutes in an April 9 game against the Phoenix Suns, but otherwise averaged 20.9 minutes per contest in the other eight regular-season games he played down the stretch.
Westbrook played fewer than 20 minutes in three of the Clippers' final four games against the Dallas Mavericks in their first-round playoff series. He averaged career-lows in minutes (22.5), points (11.1) and assists (4.5) per game in 68 appearances this season.
The two-year deal Westbrook signed last offseason contains a $4 million player option for 2024-25. If he wants to find a situation that gives him an increased role, it wouldn't be a surprise to see him test free agency this summer.