Trade value can be a difficult thing to gauge in the NBA. A player’s worth is continuously evolving.
After all, so is their contract. The first thing that dictates a player’s value is simple: their impact on games. Better players are worth more. Still with us?
That’s not the only factor though. A player’s contract also impacts their value: a fine player on a huge contract will be difficult to move.
Furthermore, a player’s proximity to the end of their contract matters. Even the league’s worst salary in a given season will have value to some teams if it’s expiring. That brings us to Russell Westbrook.
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Yes, his production has plummeted over recent years, and sure, his bloated contract doesn’t look great on the books in 2022-23.
Luckily, it’s the last year of his deal. It should appeal to a team in the Utah Jazz’s position.