Why signing Russell Westbrook will not assist Clippers
Kawhi Leonard and Paul George could have a brand new star working mate with them in Los Angeles, nevertheless it may be a questionable match.
Former NBA MVP and nine-time All-Star Russell Westbrook will signal with the Clippers as soon as he finalizes his buyout with the Utah Jazz, ESPN reported Monday.
A participant of Westbrook’s pedigree, mixed with the very fact the Clippers are missing in level guards (Bones Hyland and Jason Preston are the one gamers listed on their roster as some extent guard) may make it appear that it is a good addition by Los Angeles.
However, Nick Wright would not view it that approach. He thinks it isn’t the form of transfer that any potential contender ought to make after how Westbrook has performed during the last 4 seasons.
“It is beyond baffling to me that the Clippers are going to step on this same rake they saw the Houston Rockets step on and the Los Angeles Lakers step on,” Wright mentioned on Monday’s “The Herd.” “… If you’re trying to win a championship, you cannot have this version of Russell Westbrook on your team.”
Russell Westbrook will reportedly signal with Clippers
Nick Wright defined why he thinks the Clippers’ choice to signal Russell Westbrook is extra more likely to harm than assist them.
The most up-to-date model of Westbrook did not deliver nice outcomes to the Lakers. After struggling as a starter in his first season within the purple and gold, Westbrook put up good quantity stats coming off the bench this season, averaging 15.9 factors, 7.5 assists and 6.2 rebounds per sport. But Westbrook shot simply 41.7% from the sphere and 29.6% from 3-point vary, main him to be benched throughout crunch time because the Lakers held a 25-30 document earlier than buying and selling him on Feb. 9.
Wright acknowledged that Westbrook might need been a terrific participant at one level, however the latest model of the 34-year-old level guard is extra more likely to harm the Clippers than assist them.
“Last year [I ranked] the 50 greatest players in NBA history and I had Russell Westbrook 35th, ahead of Clyde Drexler, ahead of Steve Nash, ahead of Gary Payton. He is an all-time legendary player,” Wright mentioned. “That can be true and this can also be true: In 2023, if you’re trying to win games, he cannot help you. He has not evolved as a player. His biggest weaknesses have become more glaring.
“And the concept that the Clippers, in a wide-open Western Conference and really have one of the best probability to make a run since Kawhi and Paul George joined them, that this workforce would choose into including Russell Westbrook is past comprehension.”
Monday’s news comes after George openly recruited Westbrook in interviews and implored his team to sign him following their trade deadline trades, in which the Clippers sent out Reggie Jackson, John Wall and Luke Kennard to receive Eric Gordon, Mason Plumlee and Hyland.
Wright thinks that the Clippers tousled once more by listening to their star gamers.
“The Clippers have made many errors in letting Kawhi and Paul George run all the pieces,” Wright said. “This is the most recent it might seem as Paul George was the loudest and strongest advocate for this transfer. I do not perceive why they did it.”
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