Rockets not interested in Russell Westbrook playing for them
I included a line in there about how the Rockets have zero interest in Westbrook actually playing for them again, but I didn’t properly expound on the buyout that would be required after such a trade. Westbrook is owed $47 million next season. If the Lakers actually reached the point that they were willing to send their 2027 first-round pick to the Rockets to convince them to ship out John Wall and take Westbrook back, it is expected that Westbrook and Houston would swiftly enter buyout talks.
Source: Marc Stein @ marcstein.substack.com
What’s the buzz on Twitter?
Brady Hawk @BradyHawk305
Dewayne Dedmon sees Max Strus a little differently after the pull-back cross and three on Westbrook pic.twitter.com/YgXhnxe3su – 9:50 AM
StatMuse @statmuse
DeMar DeRozan first 40-piece since 2018.
41 PTS
15-21 FG
0-0 3P
He joins Giannis, Westbrook, LaMarcus Aldridge and Ben Simmons as the only players with 40+ points without taking a three since 2015. pic.twitter.com/0FsmWB1IUW – 8:36 PM
Mike Trudell @LakersReporter
LAL get another bucket, another stop, and 2 bonus FT’s off a defensive rebound that Westbrook hit to cut MIA’s lead to 104-98 with 2:56 to play. – 8:29 PM
Mike Trudell @LakersReporter
Miami use a 5-point possession, due to a flagrant foul on Westbrook, to take a 26-14 lead with 4:22 left in the 1st Q. – 6:29 PM
Kyle Goon @kylegoon
Heat are going after Westbrook on defense, catching him in actions set for Duncan Robinson and giving Butler iso wing possessions against him. – 6:22 PM
Bob Garcia @bgarciaivsports
Shaquille O’Neal personally delivered some stern advice to Russell Westbrook.
#Lakers #LakeShow #NBA
sportscasting.com/shaquille-onea… – 3:06 PM
The Ringer @ringernba
The solution is simple for Russell Westbrook: focus on spot-up shooting, cutting to the basket, setting screens, and locking in on defense. #TheVoidNBA
📺: https://t.co/bJvPlVcuf4 pic.twitter.com/WH2AD8gluj – 2:11 PM
Joe Mussatto @joe_mussatto
Last night, SGA made his 220th 3-pointer with the Thunder, passing Alex Abrines on OKC’s all-time list.
1. Durant: 1,084
2. Westbrook: 922
3. George: 536
4. Harden: 320
5. Sefolosha: 265
6. Green: 256
7. Morrow: 255
8. Schroder: 249
9. Dort: 242
10. Gilgeous-Alexander: 220 – 4:14 PM
Emiliano Carchia @Sportando
Houston Rockets reportedly open to Russell Westbrook trade ‘if the conditions are right’ sportando.basketball/en/houston-roc… – 1:51 PM
CBS NBA @CBSSportsNBA
Lakers’ Russell Westbrook ‘turned the page’ after benching to have solid performance in win over Magic
cbssports.com/nba/news/laker… – 1:27 PM
Justin Kubatko @jkubatko
📅 On this day in 2019, the @Oklahoma City Thunder‘s Russell Westbrook had 29 points, 10 rebounds, and 14 assists in a 123-114 win overt the Blazers.
It was the first of 11 consecutive triple-doubles for Westbrook, the longest such streak in NBA history. pic.twitter.com/0t5qFZMA09 – 1:01 PM
Kamenetzky Brothers @KamBrothers
Bonus @LockedOnLakers mini-podcast! We discussed the win over Orlando, and at least for the time being, the temperature turned down with Westbrook, Vogel and the Lakers. @LockedOnNBAPods @LockedOnNetwork
Subscribe. Rate. Enjoy. Thx!
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bon… – 12:37 PM
Marc Stein @TheSteinLine
There is at least one NBA team that would trade for the Lakers’ Russell Westbrook if the conditions are right.
All explained here in my latest This Week In Basketball column: marcstein.substack.com/p/the-plausibi… – 12:18 PM
Justin Kubatko @jkubatko
James Harden last night:
✅ 37 PTS
✅ 10 REB
✅ 11 AST
Harden now has 20 career triple-doubles with the @Brooklyn Nets.
He’s the fourth player in NBA history to reach that mark with at least two franchises, joining Jason Kidd (3), Russell Westbrook, and LeBron James. pic.twitter.com/2CZNa9SXWw – 10:21 AM
Dave McMenamin @mcten
From last night: Russell Westbrook got back on track with a *strong* showing in Orlando to start LA’s long road trip off right es.pn/3qPWLia – 8:00 AM
Bill Oram @billoram
Russell Westbrook was back on the court and in Frank Vogel’s good graces on Friday night. Will the improved vibes continue as this road trip really gets going? theathletic.com/3085541/2022/0… – 7:59 AM
StatMuse @statmuse
Fun fact: Russell Westbrook has a higher FG% than Steph Curry this season. pic.twitter.com/XpYtXj7GTj – 12:30 AM
Kyle Goon @kylegoon
Russell Westbrook and Frank Vogel both were eager to put Wednesday’s benching behind them. What they said about trying to move on: ocregister.com/2022/01/21/lak… – 12:17 AM
Kyle Goon @kylegoon
Russell Westbrook checked out of the Lakers’ win over the Magic with 1:31 remaining. This time, it was the reward of his effort in a much-needed win: ocregister.com/2022/01/21/rus… – 11:44 PM
Ryan Ward @RyanWardLA
Russell Westbrook on Lakers’ six-game road trip: “I think it’s important. … It’s a big trip for us.” – 10:10 PM
Ryan Ward @RyanWardLA
Russell Westbrook admits he was “upset” about the benching in the last game. – 10:07 PM
Ryan Ward @RyanWardLA
Frank Vogel on Russell Westbrook: “Russ played a really good basketball game. … He wanted to impose his will and play his part. He played a hell of a game.” – 9:50 PM
Cody Taylor @CodyTaylorNBA
Russell Westbrook gifted his shoes to a young Lakers fan tonight pic.twitter.com/6kbzTCzkqA – 9:33 PM
Cody Taylor @CodyTaylorNBA
End 3Q: Lakers 85, Magic 78
LeBron: 22 points
Westbrook: 14 points, 9 rebounds
Carter: 17 points
Suggs/F. Wagner: 13 points each – 9:02 PM
Kurt Helin @basketballtalk
Rockets reportedly open to Westbrook for Wall trade, why Lakers shouldn’t do it nba.nbcsports.com/2022/01/21/roc… – 8:39 PM
Cody Taylor @CodyTaylorNBA
Halftime: Magic 62, Lakers 54
Suggs: 13 points, 8 assists
Carter: 13 points
LeBron: 18 points
Westbrook: 12 points, 6 rebounds – 8:16 PM
Tony Mejia @MejiaDinero
Russell Westbrook is playing so poorly right now that he should go see a counselor, Ted Lasso-style. He’s tried to bank one in and nearly hit the shot clock, blew a layup and just threw a lob to LeBron that Magic F Chuma Okeke intercepted easily. Westbrook’s issues are mental – 8:11 PM
Khobi Price @khobi_price
End of 1Q: Magic 27, Lakers 24.
Magic’s second unit a big factor tonight. Getting to the paint at ease.
Suggs: 9 points, 3 assists
Carter Jr.: 6 points. 3 rebounds
LeBron: 8 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists
Westbrook: 6 points, 3 rebounds. – 7:41 PM
Cody Taylor @CodyTaylorNBA
End of 1Q: Magic 27, Lakers 24
Suggs: 9 points, 3 assists
Carter: 6 points
LeBron: 8 points
Westbrook: 6 points – 7:40 PM
Evan Dunlap @BQRMagic
“Westbrook, his shot hits the top of the backboard. That’s not something you see every day.” – David Steele, possibly incorrect – 7:30 PM
Cody Taylor @CodyTaylorNBA
Russell Westbrook just had a missed shot that will *definitely* make the #nottop10 reel tonight. – 7:29 PM
Mike Trudell @LakersReporter
LAL lead 14-7 into an Orlando time out. Westbrook has 2 points, 2 boards, an assist and 2 steals, with Bradley, LeBron and Howard going for 4 points apiece. – 7:18 PM
Mike Trudell @LakersReporter
Good start from Westbrook tonight.
LAL up 9-7 after his steal led to LeBron’s transition layup, and he followed with a layup himself. – 7:16 PM
Mike Trudell @LakersReporter
Westbrook fed Howard twice for looks at the rim on the opening LAL possession, grabbing an offensive rebound for the 2nd opportunity, which Howard used to draw a PF and hit 2 FT’s as things get underway in Orlando. – 7:12 PM
Cody Taylor @CodyTaylorNBA
LeBron James and Russell Westbrook are ready to go pic.twitter.com/D6VmzOqBvS – 7:08 PM
Brandon Rahbar @BrandonRahbar
Giving up assets to trade away Russell Westbrook for John Wall sounds as ridiculous as giving up assets to trade away Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for Ben Simmons.
And yet somehow both those ideas have been floated today. – 6:39 PM
Mike Trudell @LakersReporter
Same starters for the Lakers tonight: Westbrook, Bradley, Ariza, LeBron, Howard. – 6:31 PM
Ryan Ward @RyanWardLA
Frank Vogel on Russell Westbrook: “He’s all in to do whatever’s necessary” to help the Lakers win a championship. – 5:36 PM
Sam Quinn @SamQuinnCBS
My prediction is that the Lakers don’t trade Russell Westbrook for John Wall. I think they do everything possible to make it work this year, and if it doesn’t, they trade his expiring deal in the offseason for a few overpaid role players on long-term deals
I’m like 65-35 on this – 4:44 PM
Sam Quinn @SamQuinnCBS
If Russell Westbrook gets traded to Houston, this is how I *actually* think it would play out:
He agrees to stay away from the Rockets for the rest of the year. Rather than playing this season, he stays in LA with his family. Then they figure out a buyout in the offseason. – 4:23 PM
Sam Quinn @SamQuinnCBS
The funniest possible ending to the Westbrook saga would be him signing with Brooklyn after a buyout and only playing their home games. – 4:15 PM
Emiliano Carchia @Sportando
Rockets open to trading John Wall to Lakers for Westbrook and draft compensation?
sportando.basketball/en/rockets-ope… – 3:59 PM
Alvaro Martin @AlvaroNBAMartin
La posibilidad de que Westbrook sea enviado de vuelta a Houston me recuerda el cuento del genial Guillermo Álvarez Guedes del niño vendiendo el guanajo (pavo o guajolote en México). ADVERTENCIA: contenido y lenguaje soez.
youtube.com/watch?v=_FI168… – 3:58 PM
Sam Quinn @SamQuinnCBS
I would give Houston multiple second-round picks in a Russell Westbrook for John Wall swap.
I would not give Houston a first-round pick. I would not give Houston Talen Horton-Tucker. – 3:55 PM
Sean Highkin @highkin
Westbrook and Wall being traded for each other *twice* on “untradable” contracts would be one of the funniest things in NBA history. – 3:44 PM
Marc Stein @TheSteinLine
It’s time to upgrade the idea of the Lakers trading Russell Westbrook from outright impossible to extremely unlikely.
My latest This Week In Basketball column, just out now, examines the conditions required to establish a market for a Russ deal: marcstein.substack.com/p/the-plausibi… – 3:30 PM
More on this storyline
Buyout discussions with a player owed more than $50 million are never easy, but it is believed Houston would happily cope with that challenge if it could get the future first-rounder from the Lakers. Reason being: The Rockets, remember, are already facing the same conundrum. Wall is owed $47.4 million next season and hasn’t logged one minute this season after he balked at the limited role Houston offered him. -via marcstein.substack.com / January 24, 2022
I have been advised that I should amend my previous characterization of the Lakers’ finding a Westbrook trade from outright impossible to extremely unlikely. There is at least one team out there that would take him, league sources say, if the conditions are right. That team, surprisingly, is the Houston Rockets. -via marcstein.substack.com / January 21, 2022
I, like many around the league, was previously under the impression that the Rockets would have less than zero interest in a Westbrook reunion after Houston traded Westbrook to Washington for John Wall in December 2020 shortly before the start of last season. I’ve since learned that the Rockets — while indeed holding no interest in having Westbrook play for them again — actually would be amenable to another Westbrook-for-Wall swap if the Lakers incentivized the trade with sufficient draft compensation. -via marcstein.substack.com / January 21, 2022
