Russell Westbrook struggling to find interested teams?
Oct 6, 2021; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Russell Westbrook prior to the preseason game against the Phoenix Suns at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
The Utah Jazz have not bought out Russell Westbrook, leaving the veteran guard’s future unclear. There may be a reason for that, and it is not one that Westbrook will find to his liking.
Westbrook is struggling to find a market for his services, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic. Charania said on FanDuel TV Wednesday that teams like the Los Angeles Clippers are not seriously interested in Westbrook, and that the Jazz likely would have bought him out if he thought he had a landing spot.
“When you look at teams around the league, there’s not a spot for Russell Westbrook… It’s a slow moving market, and we’ll see if he'll be able to find a home”@ShamsCharania with the latest on Russell Westbrook finding a new team on #RunItBack pic.twitter.com/fpN5gLLmLn
— FanDuel TV (@FanDuelTV) February 15, 2023
“I have not heard any traction yet with Russell Westbrook and the Clippers,” Charania said. “When you look at teams around the league, there is not a spot for Russell Westbrook. … I would expect him to take the next week or so to figure out whether he can find a home somewhere else. I do believe that if he had a home by now, the Jazz would have bought him out and allowed him to go seek another team, but right now it’s a slow-moving market.”
Several Clippers players have publicly recruited Westbrook, but the eagerness to bring him in does not appear to be shared by the team’s front office. Reports have indicated that one coach has pushed to bring in Westbrook, but that team’s situation may not appeal to the guard.
The Jazz have to buy out Westbrook by March 1 to allow him to be playoff eligible with a different team. Expect some sort of resolution to the situation by then.