Russell Westbrook, Clippers Agree to 2-Year, $7.8M Contract Featuring Player Option
July 1, 2023
Russell Westbrook has re-signed with the Los Angeles Clippers on a two-year, $7.8 million deal, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
The deal includes a player option in the second year.
Westbrook averaged 15.8 points on 48.9 percent shooting, 7.6 assists and 4.9 rebounds in 30.2 minutes per game for the Clippers, which signed the 15-year veteran in February.
The 34-year-old had just finished a tough stint with the Lakers, where he shot only 41.7 percent in 2022-23 and even fell out of the starting lineup. L.A. traded him to the Utah Jazz, which bought out his contract.
A fresh start with the Clippers did wonders for Westbrook, who posted the most efficient shooting numbers of his career with his new team.
The nine-time All-Star turns 35 in November, and he'll also be entering his 16th NBA season. The days of him averaging triple-doubles for an entire season (as he did with the 2020-21 Washington Wizards) appear to be over.
However, Westbrook has proved to be more than capable of being an effective and efficient starter for a playoff team based on his Clippers stint.
The Clippers clearly liked what they saw, and Westbrook will be back for at least one more go-around with co-stars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.
There's a chance this team sees a major blowup in a year's time with Leonard and George holding 2024-25 player options—and they may yet try to shake things up by acquiring either James Harden or Damian Lillard—but for now, the Clips are ready to run it back with this trio one more time.
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