Russell Westbrook has found his new niche with the Los Angeles Clippers. Despite the naysayers doubting the former MVP’s ability to embrace his role as part of the second unit, Russ has proven them all wrong by establishing himself as one of the best bench players in the league today.
This resurgence from the 35-year-old also means that he’s earned himself the right to negotiate a new deal this summer — one that could be a cause for concern for the Clippers.
Los Angeles Clippers News: Russell Westbrook Opens Up on Future Plans
Westbrook’s deal with the Clippers won’t end until 2025. However, the nine-time All-Star has a player option for next season, which means that if he so chooses, he could walk away from LA this summer as an unrestricted free agent.
Russ recently opened up about his outlook on his future in the NBA, and it is clear that he’s not at all worried about where his career might take him:
“If I’m here, if I’m there, I’ll do whatever the team is asking me to do,” Westbrook said, via Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. “I think there’s a narrative that people have made up that I have been fighting against …. But I’m always a team-first guy.
“I know how good I still am. So it doesn’t matter — starting or coming off the bench — because I know and understand what I bring to the game.”
The most important thing here is that Westbrook proved all this on the basketball court this season. As he said, it doesn’t matter what role he might be given by whichever team — be it the Clippers or otherwise. The fact of the matter is that Russell Westbrook will still be a valuable asset wherever he ends up playing next year.
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