The plan for the Clippers in the offseason is to go back. Los Angeles has already signed Kawhi Leonard to an extension. They have been in negotiations with Paul George, but will will probably have to max it out to keep it because George has options. The Clippers can’t start negotiating with James Harden before the end of the NBA Finals, but both sides want to get a deal done and one is expected. The Clippers will also talk about a contract extension with coach Tyronn Lue.
Russell Westbrook might be the only exception.
Westbrook has a $4 million player option for next year and is expected to opt out because there are likely bigger offers — and probably bigger roles — out there. Westbrook went to the bench when he and Harden didn’t fit together in the backcourt, but that doesn’t mean he liked it and everything was smooth sailing, as Sam Amick and Law Murray wrote in The Athletic. Westbrook’s future role on this team was evident in the playoffs, where he averaged 6.3 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 19 minutes per night off the bench.
Does the nine-time All-Star and former MVP want to continue in this type of limited role while playing on a veteran’s minimum deal, or could he have gotten a better opportunity elsewhere? Considering the challenges that came with him being relegated to a reserve role, with team and league sources indicating that the process was much more challenging behind the scenes than team officials made it out to be publicly, the answer could very well be the latter. .
Westbrook averaged 10.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.1 assists in his 57 games off the bench, playing nearly 21 minutes a night. He provided a spark of energy, but was also inconsistent and had a true shooting percentage of 51.6, well below league average.
This made both sides ready to move on for a while. It remains to be seen which other team could offer a bigger contract and role, but Westbrook’s undeniable passion for the game and the energy with which he plays will likely attract some offers.
