According to reports, Russell Westbrook is drawing interest from the Los Angeles Clippers as they look to retool for a push for the Larry O'Brien trophy this upcoming season. The Houston Rockets may be in a rebuilding phase after the departures of head coach Mike D'Antoni and general manager Daryl Morey, both of whom shaped the small-ball approach the Rockets played for the last couple of seasons.
White on The Mismatch podcast The Ringer's Kevin O'Connor said on Tuesday:
"It is interesting the last 24 hours. I did have multiple sources that I trust tell me that teams believe Russell Westbrook could be had—that Westbrook could be had—and I've heard the Clippers have interest, I've heard the Knicks have interest in Westbrook, and whether anything materializes there, who knows? Who knows? But the fact is that there is a belief that a guy like Westbrook could become available."
As previously reported, Westbrook is also on the New York Knicks' radar. Ian Begley of SNY first broke the news in mid-October when he reported:
"Something else to keep an eye on: some agents who represent top point guard free agents believe the Knicks would poke around on a potential Russell Westbrook trade if Houston makes him available. It's worth noting that Westbrook, per sources, saw New York as a welcome landing spot last summer when Oklahoma City was talking to teams about potential trades."
What isn't clear, is what the Clippers would have to give up in order to bring Westbrook aboard. The Clippers just overhauled their roster in the summer of 2019 to bring in Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. At the moment, they don't possess the same trade assets which could make a Westbrook deal tricky but with an owner like Steve Ballmer who has a bottomless wallet, it wouldn't be a surprise if the Clippers went over the luxury tax or added additional cash incentives to the Rockets to complete a Westbrook trade.
Source: bleacherreport.com
