The End Of An Era For The Clippers As Russell Westbrook Could Leave This Summer

NBA veteran guard Russell Westbrook may have played his final game as a Los Angeles Clipper. Westbrook believed he had found a long-term home in Los Angeles. However, following their first-round exit this year—for the second consecutive season—Westbrook’s allegiance appears to be in doubt as he gets ready for an uncertain summer.
The nine-time All-Star and former MVP may have worked his way into a better opportunity somewhere, but does he want to stay in this kind of restricted position while on a veteran’s minimum deal? The answer may very well be the latter given the difficulties he faced after being demoted to a reserve role, with league and team sources suggesting that the process was far more difficult behind the scenes than team officials had made it appear publicly “The Athletic’s Sam Amick and Law Murray wrote.

After accepting a smaller role with the Clippers, Westbrook, 35, was able to find some peace with it for a spell. However, his position in the rotation plummeted after he averaged 15.8 points per game in 30.2 minutes of action the previous season, and he concluded this regular season with the lowest minutes average (22.5 per game) of his career. Throughout the previous season, he saw a decline in all statistical categories, finishing with 11.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game on 45.4% shooting.

Russ still has another year on his contract that will pay him over $4 million for the 2024-25 campaign. So any departure from the Clippers will have to come in the form of a buyout or a trade, and the Clippers may need several moves like this to dig themselves out of their situation.

Between Westbrook’s decline and the unreliable health of Paul George and Kawhi Leonard, the Clippers have a lot to consider about their immediate future and what to do with Westbrook will likely be the first order of business when they sit down to work out their offseason plan.

As for Russ himself, he has yet to speak on his current situation with the Clippers but it’s hard to imagine that he wanted to end his career like this, playing a minor role for a team that has known nothing but disappointment and dysfunction.

The Clippers truly expected to make a run at the playoffs this season. The moment had come to establish themselves as serious competitors in the West and lead the team into a new era following the acquisition of James Harden and the opening of their new venue the following season.

Rather, the Clippers experienced what happens to them every year: an early postseason exit. Experts are increasingly convinced that the Clippers have played their final game with this particular collection of players since the Clippers were unable to defeat Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic’s potent offense for a variety of reasons.
Something has to change for this Clippers team, whether it’s Harden, Westbrook, or even Paul George (who has already been involved in multiple trade rumors). With all of the talent they have and the money they are paying to keep these guys together, continuing to fail is simply not an option.

Expect the Clippers to do whatever it takes, including bidding farewell to one of their fan favorites, if Westbrook can be dealt in order to bring in some excellent role players.