Opinion: No, the Rockets Shouldn’t Bring in Russell Westbrook

If the headline was any indication where this article was headed, let me state it plainly here: no, the Rockets shouldn’t sign Westbrook.

There’s numerous factors — both positive and negative — that play into why Houston should stand pat on that move, and we’ll dive into all of them here.

There is first the issue that Westbrook may not even be a positively impactful player anymore.

He played his last season with Denver, averaging a solid 13.3 points, 6.1 assists and 4.9 rebounds from the bench while shooting 45% overall. He saw somewhat of a career resurgence in tandem with Nikola Jokic, finishing seventh in Sixth Man of the Year voting.

Despite that, he declined another go with Denver, and the team didn’t seem to show more interest either. Especially given he was wholly a negative in the postseason. The Thunder made the most of his time on-court, punishing his volatility with stingy defense. He shot just 35% in total, finishing as an abysmal -92 across the close, seven-game series.

While Westbrook’s locker-room presence has been largely overblown throughout his career, that may not apply to Houston, who has a former teammate and long-time rival in Durant now added on. The two have yet to play with each other since Durant’s departure from OKC, and there’s a phenomenal chance neither wants a reunion. Even if that beef is squashed, it may not be worth it to try again.

Even taking Westbrook’s potential negatives out of the equation, all hope is not lost for Houston’s season, even without a trade or signing to bolster VanVleet’s absence. 

Thompson, truly one of the most athletic players in the league, is seeing a rapid ascension in the NBA. And while he’s come on as one of the league’s best young leagues, people forget he was drafted as a point guard, and still projects to be just that down the line.

The Rockets likely weren’t keen to throw Thompson in as their lead guard this season with VanVleet rostered, but now’s as good a time as any for him to learn the ropes. He has clear handling and passing talent, last season averaging 3.8 assists, and likely only needs the reps to begin improving in that area.

Additionally, the Rockets still have Reed Sheppard waiting in the wings. Again, the sophomore wasn’t slated to have the responsibility he now will, but the former No. 3 pick, in theory, should offer plenty of the same things VanVleet did with ranged scoring, solid play-making defense, passing and more.

The signing of Westbrook would undoubtedly hinder the progress of these two, for better or worse.

All in all, a signing or trade won’t be needed for Houston prior to the season. They’re not a reactionary franchise, and have insulated themselves well this offseason in building a deep roster. Should they truly flounder and need to make a mid-season move, they’ve built up the resources to do so then.