NBA Fans Try to Make Sense of Russell Westbrook’s Free Agency

Being one of the most notable players of his generation, Westbrook still has plenty of supporters who want to see him back in a uniform and playing a role during the 2025-2026 NBA season.

via @KumaranMarkandu: I’m a Russell Westbrook fan myself. He has heart and plays hard. Only problem is, his game is outdated, he relies on his athleticism and now that it’s diminished considerably, he’s become a liability. He should have evolved his game in the past 5 years on two major areas 1. shooting off the ball and 2. Being a strong playmaker, nothing fancy, just breaking the defense down, creating opportunities for teammates, and making good simple plays. Think of Vince Carter for shooting and Derek Fisher for basic playmaking. Both of them were able to add value and extend their careers.

On the other side, there are plenty of fans who believe there is a fair reality in play.

@LockervsExecPod: Now show the bad highlights? Nba teams are asking themselves is it worth the headache. Not just on the court but even with media. To not allow to criticize his game and get shunned by him is unprofessional.

@jokicgoatic15: 6 teams in 7 years (not even including Utah who waived [him] twice) and folks still find a way to defend this guy.

@jbondwagon: It’s about fit. Russ is not a system player. It’s hard to fit him in a team even if he’s better than a lot of players

@KlawedUP: Should’ve took the player option with Denver and now he wants more than the minimum, his fault he still isn’t signed

@Marvz_Said_It: Unless you’re one player away from a championship and he fit perfect, you’re better off developing younger talent than taking an overpriced once upon a time superstar who’s got an attitude problem.

It’s not uncommon for superstars to struggle finding their fit late in their careers. We’ve seen it plenty of times with several players. One fan pointed to Carmelo Anthony as a logical example. Although Anthony still had the ability to contribute, making the transition from 1A star to complementary role player was a tall task.

That’s not to say Westbrook hasn’t been open to a tweaked role. In 2021-2022, he started 78 games with the Lakers, but came off the bench for them for 49 games the following year. Two years ago, Westbrook started in just 11 of the 68 games he played.

Then last season, Westbrook started 36 out of the 75 games he played for the Nuggets.

@ivar_no23: I love RUSS, but he would perfect everything you see on this clip and then let you down when it matters most

@canttakemysoul: show the low lights its finna be a equally long reel

@Geosoimoburner: It’s because for every good play he has nowadays, he has two cte plays that offset it

@breakingdead1: You can watch highlights of any player and think they MVP caliber cause they never show the bad

Over the past few seasons, criticism overshadowed support for Westbrook. He put up quality numbers in Denver, averaging 13.3 points, 6.1 assists, and 4.9 rebounds, while shooting 45 percent from the field in roughly 28 minutes of action.

But when the playoffs came around, Westbrook’s efficiency took a massive dip. In 13 games for the Nuggets, Westbrook made just 39 percent of his shots from the field and 32 percent of his threes. He averaged 11.7 points and 2.6 assists.

During the Clippers’ 2024 playoff run, Westbrook produced 6.3 points and 1.7 assists, while shooting 26 percent from the field. Clearly, the playoff value hasn’t been as high for Westbrook.

At this stage of his career, Westbrook is eyeing opportunities to help contribute to a contender. The playoff production matters the most. While Westbrook still carries plenty of value at this stage of his career, the former fourth-overall pick is still struggling to find a new NBA home.

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