LOS ANGELES (AFP) – Nine-time NBA All-Star Russell Westbrook plans to sign with the Los Angeles Clippers after completing a contract buyout with the Utah Jazz and clearing waivers, according to multiple reports yesterday.
The Los Angeles Lakers sent Westbrook to the Jazz two weeks ago as part of a three-team deal at the NBA trade deadline, but he hasn’t played since the move.
Now the 34-year-old point guard could simply be swapping locker rooms at Crypto.com Arena, the home court for the Lakers and Clippers.
ESPN and CBS Sports reported that Westbrook expects to sign with the Clippers after working out a deal for the remaining USD47 million on his expiring contract once he’s released.
Westbrook, the 2017 NBA Most Valuable Player, would join a lineup that includes former Oklahoma City teammate Paul George and Kawhi Leonard, who won NBA crowns with San Antonio in 2014 and Toronto in 2019.
Westbrook has averaged 15.9 points, 7.5 assists and 6.2 rebounds a game in mostly a reserve role for the Lakers over 52 games this season.
But he struggled to fit his game alongside Lakers stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis and weak shooting, 41.7 per cent from the floor and 29.6 per cent from three-point range, led to his exit.
The Clippers rank fourth in the Western Conference at 33-28, nine games behind pace-setting Denver, while the Lakers rank 13th at 37-32 – 3.5 games and six teams behind sixth-place
Dallas for the last guaranteed playoff spot in the West.
The Clippers resume their season after the NBA All-Star Game break on Saturday at home against Sacramento.
The next and final Lakers-Clippers matchup of the regular season will be on April 5.
