Russell Westbrook Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Rockets, Wizards Have Explored A Westbrook-Wall Flip

November 17th, 2020 at 5:18pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The Wizards and the Rockets have talked about making a star-studded point guard swap, having explored trading former All-Star point guard John Wall for current All-Star point guard Russell Westbrook, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium (Twitter link). Charania notes that Houston currently desires additional pieces in the deal, and that there is “no traction” for the trade just yet.

Wall, 30, has not played in an NBA game for the Wizards since December 26, 2018, felled by a series of injuries, including a torn Achilles. Westbrook, 32, recently requested a trade out of Houston following his inaugural season with the team.

Were this potential move to materialize, it could indicate that the Wizards are striving to improve their roster to entice star shooting guard Bradley Beal, 27, to stay with the team and not ask for a trade himself. Beal has two guaranteed years and $63.25MM left on his contract, with a $37.3MM player option for the 2022/23 season.

Though Rockets star guard Westbrook is not much of a floor spacer, his dynamic scoring, passing and rebounding – plus his consistent on-court availability – could greatly help the Wizards, a team that finished the 2019/20 season just outside the Eastern Conference playoff picture with the No. 9 seed.

Conversely, trading the relatively active Westbrook to the Wizards for the oft-hurt Wall could indicate a willingness from the Rockets front office to consider James Harden trade offers, after their MVP-caliber guard requested a trade of his own.

Westbrook and Wall’s contracts are remarkably similar in terms of length and price, though obviously the on-court risks associated with adding Wall are significantly greater. Assuming Westbrook opts in to the final year of his contract with the Rockets, Westbrook has three seasons and $132.6MM remaining. Wall has three years and $132.9MM left on his deal, assuming he opts into the final year of his own deal with the Wizards.

Rockets Rumors: Westbrook, Harden, Luxury Tax, Tate

November 17th, 2020 at 4:25pm CST by Luke Adams

The Hornets and Knicks are the only teams with “verifiable” trade interest in Rockets star Russell Westbrook so far, Marc Stein of The New York Times writes in his weekly newsletter. And Stein cautions that both clubs’ interest is “conditional” rather than aggressive.

Some people around the NBA believe that Charlotte’s desire to acquire Westbrook will increase if the team doesn’t end up drafting LaMelo Ball on Wednesday night, per Stein. As for the Knicks, their stance is best described as “weighing, but resisting,” according to Stein, who says multiple people within the organization are hesitant to make a move for Westbrook and his pricey contract.

Stein suggests that the best offer the Rockets could expect from the Knicks for Westbrook at this point would include one future first-round pick from Dallas, along with players who aren’t part of the team’s long-term plans, such as perhaps Julius Randle and Dennis Smith Jr.. Even then, there’s no guarantee New York would want to take on the three years and $133MM left on Westbrook’s contract.

Here’s more on the Rockets:

While the Rockets remain reluctant to move James Harden and don’t feel pressure to make a move right away, the “overwhelming expectation” around the NBA is that he’ll eventually be dealt, whether it’s this week, next month, or sometime in 2021, according to David Aldridge and Kelly Iko of The Athletic. Past inquires of Harden have simply been turned aside by the Rockets, but there’s a sense that they’ll now come around if the package is strong enough.
Although Harden is reportedly focused on getting to the Nets, the Sixers‘ interest in him has grown in recent weeks, sources tell The Athletic’s duo. According to Aldridge and Iko, rapper Meek Mill – who is from Philadelphia – has been trying to convince Harden to come to the Sixers.
The Clippers aren’t currently pursuing Harden, per The Athletic’s report.
Sources tell Aldridge and Iko that Harden feels as if some of the Rockets’ decisions – including roster moves and hirings – have been made without substantial impact from him.
The Athletic’s sources maintain that Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta is “hellbent” on keeping the team out of luxury tax territory for the foreseeable future.
Sydney Kings swingman Jae’Sean Tate, who went undrafted out of Ohio State in 2018, is expected to sign with the Rockets sometime after free agency opens later this week, Stein reports. John Hollinger of The Athletic recently referred to Tate – who made over 40% of his three-point attempts in Australia last season – as one of the most highly-regarded players outside of the U.S. Houston is also bringing Sydney’s head coach Will Weaver stateside as an assistant on Stephen Silas’ staff, as we relayed last week.

Latest On James Harden, Rockets, Nets

November 17th, 2020 at 9:54am CST by Luke Adams

While a pair of former All-Stars – Chris Paul and Jrue Holiday – were involved in trades agreed upon on Monday, another All-Star guard briefly stole NBA headlines. Word broke that Rockets superstar James Harden had turned down an extension offer that would have tacked on two years and a staggering $103MM to the three years left on his current deal. Harden is said to be “singularly focused” on being dealt to the Nets, per Monday’s reports.

According to Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle, Harden has indicated to the Rockets that he’s not interested in going anywhere except Brooklyn and that he believes the team should make the best deal it can with the Nets, “even if they do not consider it satisfactory.” That’s a bold demand for a player with at least two years left on his contract — even a player of Harden’s caliber.

As Adrian Wojnarowski reiterated this morning during an appearance on ESPN’s Get Up (video link), the Rockets aren’t yet acting with urgency and feel like they can afford to take their time, given Harden’s contract situation. While the Rockets have been in contact with the Nets, no substantive discussions have taken place between the two teams yet, Woj adds.

Houston also hasn’t engaged with any other teams about Harden, since he appears to be solely interested in Brooklyn and the Rockets don’t want to move him to begin with, says Feigen.

Here’s more on the former MVP:

Although the Nets have several intriguing assets, they don’t have one “knockout” piece – such as a young player with superstar potential or a future pick that would land at or near the top of the draft – to entice the Rockets, Wojnarowski notes. Feigen makes a similar point, suggesting that Brooklyn’s inability to offer a player who could be Harden’s “successor” has Houston resisting the idea of making a trade with the Nets.
ESPN’s Zach Lowe takes a deep dive into the possibility of a trade between the Nets and Rockets and contends that a Brooklyn offer for Harden would probably have to look something like this: Caris LeVert, Spencer Dinwiddie, Jarrett Allen, some small salary filler, this year’s No. 19 pick, two unprotected or lightly-protected future first-rounders, and two future pick swaps.
As of Monday, the Rockets didn’t consider their relationship with Harden broken, according to Feigen, who said talks between the two sides have been “cordial.” The team just hasn’t yet been able to convince him to reconsider his position.
The Rockets’ other former MVP, Russell Westbrook, remains a trade candidate as well, but nothing is close on that front. As Feigen explains, Houston hasn’t yet been able to find a deal for Westbrook that would bring a strong enough return to help convince Harden that the team can still contend for a title.
The fact that the Rockets surrendered multiple draft picks and pick swaps in last year’s Westbrook acquisition has made the team hesitant to embark upon a rebuild, per Feigen. Houston also still believes it can be a factor in the Western Conference race if both Harden and Westbrook return and the right additions are made.

Trade Rumors: Westbrook, Hornets, Holiday, Gordon

November 16th, 2020 at 2:10pm CST by Luke Adams

The first major domino of the NBA offseason has fallen, as the Thunder and Suns are set to finalize a deal that will send All-Star guard Chris Paul to Phoenix.

Kelly Oubre is one of the key pieces headed to Oklahoma City in that swap, and according to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7FM (Twitter link), the Suns felt as if Oubre was expendable not only due to the emergence of Mikal Bridges and Cameron Johnson, but because they didn’t think they’d end up re-signing Oubre in free agency in 2021.

Meanwhile, while Paul is on board with being dealt to the Suns, Marc Berman of The New York Post hears that CP3’s top preference would have been a move to the Clippers. The veteran point guard had “mixed feelings” about a possible deal to the Knicks, Berman adds.

As we wait for more trade agreements to be reached, here are a few of the latest rumors from around the NBA:

The Hornets appear to be the most likely landing spot for Russell Westbrook, according to Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer, who writes that team owner Michael Jordan wants to acquire the former MVP. However, sources tell O’Connor that Charlotte won’t put the No. 3 overall pick on the table in an offer to the Rockets.
The Mavericks aren’t involved in the Jrue Holiday sweepstakes for now, according to Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News, who tweets that the Pelicans prefer to trade Holiday to an Eastern Conference team. Mike Singer of The Denver Post notes (via Twitter) that New Orleans’ apparent desire to send Holiday to the East might be posturing to try to drive up the price for a team like the Nuggets.
Asked today about trade rumors involving Aaron Gordon, Magic president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman confirmed there have been “a lot of calls” on the forward (Twitter link via Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel). However, he added that there’s an “amazing amount of misinformation that circulates and is unfounded.” A report last week suggested Orlando was trying to move up in the draft from No. 15 by attaching Gordon to the pick.
In case you missed it, James Harden is rumored to be seeking a trade out of Houston.

Community Shootaround: Russell Westbrook

November 14th, 2020 at 9:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

Four days after news leaked that Russell Westbrook wants to be traded out of Houston, few teams are lining up to acquire the former MVP.

The Hornets were the first reported suitor, viewing a Westbrook trade as a way to skip a few steps in the rebuilding process and bring a huge star to Charlotte. The Knicks are also thinking about getting involved, but it’s one of many moves that are under consideration. The Clippers have been mentioned as well, but Westbrook might be an awkward fit alongside Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.

There are a lot of factors that make Westbrook a risky investment. One is his age — 32 with seven surgical procedures in his 12 NBA seasons. Another is his poor outside shooting — 25.8% from beyond the arc last season and 24.2% in the playoffs — in a league where three-pointers are more important than ever. But the biggest impediment to a deal is probably his contract. Westbrook is owed approximately $132MM over the next three years, including $47MM during the 2022/23 season.

There are concerns about how effective Westbrook will still be by then. His success has always been built around athleticism and explosiveness, and he doesn’t have the mid-range game to compensate as he ages like Thunder guard Chris Paul, who may also be an option for the Knicks and Clippers.

There’s also the question of what the Rockets will want in return. There have been conflicting reports this week about James Harden‘s happiness and level of commitment to Houston. New general manager Rafael Stone can’t afford to give Westbrook away without enough compensation to keep the Rockets in playoff contention.

We want to get your opinion. Which team do you see as the best fit for Westbrook at this stage of his career? Please leave your answer in the comments section.

Los Angeles Notes: Bradley, Mannion, DeRozan, Westbrook

November 13th, 2020 at 6:15pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Avery Bradley, who has a decision to make on his player option, is changing reps and plans to sign with Charles Briscoe, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets. The Lakers guard, who chose not to play during the restart, can become an unrestricted free agent if he declines the $5MM in the final year of his contract. Bradley averaged 8.6 PPG last season and started 44 of 49 games before play was halted in March. He turns 30 later this month.

We have more on the Los Angeles teams:

The Lakers, who hold the No. 28 pick in Wednesday’s draft, worked out University of Arizona point man Nico Mannion on Tuesday in Arizona, Brad Turner of The Los Angeles Times tweets. GM Rob Pelinka was among the Lakers’ reps who attended the workout. Mannion, who averaged 14.0 PPG and 5.3 APG as a freshman last season, is currently ranked No. 25 on ESPN’s Best Available list.
The Lakers are reportedly interested in Spurs swingman DeMar DeRozan despite his $27.7MM cap hit and Jordan Greer of Sporting News believes he would be a good fit. DeRozan’s ability as a playmaker would give the Lakers another proven scorer when LeBron James and Anthony Davis aren’t sharing the court. DeRozan’s defensive shortcomings could be masked by a combination of the coaching staff’s schemes and Anthony Davis‘ shot-blocking, Greer adds.
Russell Westbrook would give the Clippers a third star but they shouldn’t pursue a deal for the disgruntled Rockets guard, Jovan Buha of The Athletic opines. Westbrook is a ball-dominant guard whose efficiency has waned in recent seasons, Buha notes. He’s not an off-the-ball threat, as he made just 25.8% of his 3-point attempts last season, allowing defenders to sag off him. Trading for his contract would also force the Clippers to gut their roster to match salaries, Buha said.

Hornets Notes: Westbrook, Trades, Wiseman, More

November 13th, 2020 at 5:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Following a report this week suggesting the Hornets may have interest in a Russell Westbrook trade, general manager Mitch Kupchak carefully talked around the topic during a pre-draft conference call with reporters on Friday, writes Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer.

“Does it make sense to add a big-time veteran player? At first glance, you might say no,” Kupchak said. “But it is my job to research every opportunity. If it’s something I feel needs pursuing, I’d pursue it and bring it to ownership.”

Asked specifically about the Westbrook rumors, Kupchak said he can’t comment on other teams’ players and didn’t confirm whether there have been any talks with the Rockets. He did say the Hornets are “talking to teams” about possible deals though, adding that two GMs from other teams attempted to call him during his 25-minute media session with reporters, per Bonnell.

According to Kupchak, trade talks are unlikely to get serious until early next week. For now, they’re “a big poker game,” in the words of the Hornets’ GM.

“Some of the (media) reports that are released are accurate and some aren’t,” Kupchak said. “It is my job to take every call from every general manager. Ninety-five percent of the time, there’s really not much to discuss.”

For what it’s worth, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link) has heard from league sources that the marketplace for a potential Westbrook trade is “slow developing” so far.

Here’s more out of Charlotte:

In a separate article for The Charlotte Observer, Bonnell considers why Westbrook might appeal to the Hornets and why acquiring him would be problematic. As Bonnell writes, the Hornets would have to consider how the presence of Westbrook would affect Devonte’ Graham‘s development and whether the former MVP would even want to join a rebuilding team.
Elsewhere at The Observer, Bonnell weighs the pros and cons of drafting James Wiseman if he’s available at No. 3. The Hornets ranked dead last in the NBA in defensive rebounding percentage and 25th in shots blocked, so if they don’t land Wiseman, they’ll have to address the center position at some point this offseason.
Speaking to Bonnell in Q&A for The Observer, Hornets head coach James Borrego suggested there are a number of areas he’d like to see the team address this offseason. “We’ve got to get players who have the ability to make plays for others (and) more shot-makers,” Borrego said. “And players who make people better on the floor and off the floor. Often that comes in the form of a veteran. We want to bring professionals into our organization. … That will come in the form of free agents, this summer or next.” Borrego added that the team also needs to get better around the rim — both finishing at the rim on offense and protecting it on defense.

Knicks Have Weighed Russell Westbrook Trade

November 13th, 2020 at 1:48pm CST by Luke Adams

The Knicks are on the “short list” of viable trade destinations for Rockets star Russell Westbrook, league sources tell Marc Stein of The New York Times (Twitter link). Westbrook is reportedly seeking a deal out of Houston.

According to Stein, the Knicks have weighed the possibility of making a trade for Westbrook, and if they prove willing to absorb the money left on his contract (approximately $132MM over there years), “there is a trade to be made.”

Given the Knicks’ cap flexibility and their desire to get back into the playoff picture in the Eastern Conference, it makes sense that they’d be linked to Westbrook. However, the belief is that they’re considering a wide number of possibilities with their two first-round picks and their projected cap room.

Ian Begley of SNY.tv noted earlier this week that people within the organization are wary about giving up too many assets in a trade for an expensive veteran like Westbrook or Chris Paul. The club has some extra first-rounders over the next few seasons and some young players with promise, but wants to retain enough pieces to eventually make a competitive trade offer for another star.

The Hornets, another Eastern lottery team with cap flexibility, have also been identified as a potential suitor for Westbrook. It remains to be seen how serious the Rockets are about moving the former MVP.

Knicks Notes: Paul, Westbrook, Bey, Terry

November 12th, 2020 at 3:18pm CST by Luke Adams

There are people within the Knicks organization that are bullish on the idea of acquiring Chris Paul, feeling as if he would help build a winning culture in New York and would be a good leader for the team’s young players, writes Ian Begley of SNY.tv.

However, according to Begley, there are also people in the organization wary of giving up too many assets in a trade for Paul. Those people want to make sure the club retains enough pieces to be able to make another trade down the road for a star player, sources tell Begley.

Given Paul’s massive contract, which still has two years and $85MM left on it, the Thunder are unlikely to extract a massive haul for their point guard. However, an All-Star season helped rebuild CP3’s value, and the Knicks would have to outbid other suitors, including the Suns, if they want to make a deal.

It’s probably safe to assume that Oklahoma City would seek at least one first-round pick and/or a young player in exchange for CP3 — Mitchell Robinson or RJ Barrett would likely be off limits, but the Thunder reportedly have interest in Kevin Knox.

In addition to all their own future first-round pick, the Knicks hold the Clippers’ pick (No. 27) in this year’s draft, as well as two future Mavericks first-rounders.

Here’s more on the Knicks:

Within that same story, Begley considers whether the Knicks would be a fit for Russell Westbrook. As Begley observes, if the front office is wary of giving up too many assets in a Paul trade, it’s probably safe to assume that same stance would apply to a Westbrook deal. Like CP3, Westbrook is owed $41MM in 2020/21 and $44MM in ’21/22. The Rockets guard also has a $47MM player option for ’22/23.
Exploring the Knicks’ draft options, Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic says that Villanova forward Saddiq Bey is among the players who have worked out for New York during the pre-draft process. The No. 8 pick might be a little high for Bey, who would be a more viable option for the Knicks in a trade-down scenario.
The Knicks have reached out to schedule a second interview with Stanford’s Tyrell Terry, tweets Vorkunov. It’s possible Terry will still be on the board at No. 27, though his stock has been on the rise and he has generated mid-first-round buzz.

Rockets Rumors: Westbrook, Gordon, House, Rivers, Tucker, More

November 12th, 2020 at 2:45pm CST by Luke Adams

Within their full report on Russell Westbrook‘s desire to leave Houston, Kelly Iko, Sam Amick, and Shams Charania of The Athletic write that the former MVP had made it known “for quite some time” that he wanted to see major changes to the Rockets‘ culture. Specifically, Westbrook was seeking more “team-wide accountability, discipline and structure,” and hoped to establish a culture similar to the one he’d helped create in Oklahoma City.

Westbrook wasn’t the only Rockets player who experienced some frustrations during the 2019/20 season. According to The Athletic’s report, Eric Gordon hasn’t been pleased with how his responsibilities and importance have diminished in recent years and has wanted a more consistent role. The Rockets reportedly discussed playing Gordon less often with Westbrook and James Harden to optimize his skill set, but Mike D’Antoni resisted changes to his staggering strategy.

Danuel House also wasn’t thrilled with his role in Houston’s offense and how he was used, according to Iko, Amick, and Charania, who say that the young forward “verbally challenged” Westbrook, Harden, and D’Antoni. Additionally, Austin Rivers were unhappy with inconsistent playing time and his usage, per The Athletic. Following one game when D’Antoni was about to sub in Rivers before changing his mind and inserting DeMarre Carroll instead, Rivers went on an “expletive-laden tirade.”

Many of those frustrations can be traced back to a lack of accountability, sources tell The Athletic. According to Iko, Amick, and Charania, during one team meeting following a January loss, Westbrook went around the room and gave suggestions about what each player could do to help reverse the team’s slide — Harden wasn’t as receptive to to criticism as other Rockets players, per The Athletic’s sources.

Concerns about the Rockets’ culture date back past the 2019/20 season, as there’s a belief the team has catered too much to its stars. When Trevor Ariza left the club in 2018, he wanted to join an organization that would give him more respect, according to The Athletic. When Houston later expressed interest in bringing back Ariza, he sought an apology that he never received, sources tell Iko, Amick, and Charania. There have also been some complaints over the years from Rockets players about the team’s style of play and its unwillingness to make adjustments.

Here’s more on the Rockets:

P.J. Tucker has been “irate” all season long about his contract situation, believing he’s extremely underpaid relative to his role and production, according to Iko, Amick, and Charania. Tucker feels as though he deserves a raise and has been upset by the Rockets’ unwillingness to sign him to an extension, per The Athletic.
D’Antoni’s and Daryl Morey‘s departures after the 2019/20 season have played a large part in creating doubt in Harden’s and Westbrook’s minds about the Rockets’ ability to sustain long-term success, according to Iko, Amick, and Charania. While both stars have had input on decisions and support the hiring of new head coach Stephen Silas, they’re concerned about the possibility of an eventual rebuild, which they’d have no interest in.
Retaining veteran assistant John Lucas in a key role on Silas’ staff was meant to send a “clear message” to Westbrook and Harden that Houston remains committed to contending, according to The Athletic’s report.
Appearing on The Ringer’s Real Ones podcast earlier this week, Austin Rivers strongly suggested that he intends to turn down his 2020/21 player option, which is worth the veteran’s minimum. “That’s something I’m going through right now with my agent,” Rivers said. “I definitely want to probably be out there on the market and just see what else is out there. But I love Houston; Houston’s still one of my main options. That’s a team I loved playing for. But there’s other teams out there that you want to look at. You owe it to yourself to at least see the best situation for yourself.”
In Thursday’s episode of Brian Windhorst’s Hoop Collective podcast, ESPN’s Tim MacMahon said Serge Ibaka will be high on the Rockets’ list of free agent targets this offseason, though he may be out of the club’s price range.