Former NBA MVP Russell Westbrook could attract offers worth $10-15 million per season this summer in unrestricted free agency, according to Mark Medina of The Sporting Tribune.
Westbrook becomes an unrestricted free agent on June 30. The Los Angeles Clippers want to re-sign the UCLA product, but the most they can pay Westbrook is $3.8 million.
“Westbrook would love to stay in his hometown with an organization that made him feel comfortable, but the Clippers can only pay him up to $3.8 million to stay,” Medina wrote. “Other NBA executives around the league believe Westbrook could still attract offers worth $10-$15 million per season.”
Westbrook began the 2022-23 season with the Los Angeles Lakers. He was traded to the Utah Jazz at the February trade deadline and waived by Utah. The future Hall of Famer joined the Clippers as a free agent after getting waived by the Jazz and put up good numbers, averaging 15.8 points, 4.9 rebounds and 7.6 assists in 21 games.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Russell Westbrook & Los Angeles Clippers Updates
The Clippers faced the Phoenix Suns in the first round of the 2023 playoffs. Two-time Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard only played in Games 1 and 2 and All-Star small forward Paul George missed the entire series, so Westbrook’s usage rate went up. The NBA’s all-time leader in triple-doubles averaged 23.6 points, 7.6 boards and 7.4 assists in the Suns series, but it wasn’t enough to help the Clippers win, as Phoenix won the series in five games.
Westbrook and George are close friends and Russ is from Los Angeles. Since the nine-time All-Star played well with the Clippers, the front office could be interested in bringing him back. However, the numbers have to work.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Russell Westbrook & Los Angeles Clippers Updates
The Clippers can offer Westbrook 120 percent of his minimum because they will have non-Bird rights on him. According to Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report, Los Angeles hopes to re-sign Westbrook at a hometown discount ($3.8 million) for a year, but the explosive guard may want more money than that since he put up really strong numbers in the 2023 playoffs.
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