Russell Westbrook is eyeing another year in the NBA, come hell or high water.
The former MVP guard Westbrook has had “zero discussion” to date about potentially playing overseas next season, veteran NBA writer Marc Stein reported to Substack this week. Westbrook is reportedly focused on securing his next opportunity in the NBA, even if that means waiting until after the regular season begins on Oct. 21.
About to turn 37 years old, Westbrook remains unsigned after three-and-a-half months and counting now of being an unrestricted free agent. He had a $3.5 million player option to return to the Denver Nuggets for next season but turned that option down to test the free agent waters.
Earlier this week, we heard that Westbrook potentially had a lucrative eight-figure offer to play in China, which likely would have only spanned half a season. He also previously had reported interest from a team in the Middle East several months ago.
Westbrook, who averaged 13.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 6.1 assists per game last season for the Nuggets, still has NBA-level talent. But the sticking point for him seems to be that he reportedly wants more than the veteran’s minimum (which is worth roughly $3.6 million for a player with at least 10 years of NBA experience).
There are some interesting NBA options that may still be on the table for Westbrook if he is willing to drop his asking price. But the staring contest could continue for a little while longer, especially since Westbrook is clearly not interested in playing overseas right now.
