Russell Westbrook has only played one of his 17 career seasons in the Eastern Conference, but that number could soon be going up.
The Milwaukee Bucks have emerged as a surprise new suitor for the former MVP guard Westbrook, Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints reported on Tuesday. Siegel notes that the Bucks are expected to use one of their last remaining roster spots to add extra guard depth.
Westbrook remains unsigned as an unrestricted free agent after turning down his $3.5 million player option for next season with the Denver Nuggets. At 36 years old, he averaged 13.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, 6.1 assists, and 1.4 steals per game for Denver last season.
As for the Bucks, they have a glaring hole at point guard after opting to stretch-and-waive nine-time NBA All-Star Damian Lillard this month. Their current PG rotation is headlined by Kevin Porter Jr. and Ryan Rollins, both of whom signed new deals with Milwaukee this offseason. However, neither Porter nor Rollins are starting point guard-caliber, especially on a team like the Bucks that intends to compete for an NBA title.
Westbrook, who has transitioned into a full-time bench role, is not an ideal starting PG at this point of his career either. But as a three-time NBA assists leader who has averaged 8.0 dimes per game for his career, Westbrook may be the best option left out there for the Bucks, especially at his price point.
The market for Westbrook remains relatively quiet, and the team that was once seen as the frontrunner to sign him has since moved in a different direction at the guard spot. If Milwaukee does decide to sign Westbrook though, it might get a little awkward given Westbrook’s past history with Bucks lead assistant Darvin Ham.
