Russell Westbrook might be headed to the Hornets this offseason.
The Houston Rockets are truly blowing it all up this offseason, as head coach Mike D’Antoni and front office mastermind Daryl Morey have already parted ways with the organization. The roster is the next part of this organization that will soon be torn apart, as both Russell Westbrook and James Harden, among others, have voiced their discontent with the organization. Westbrook will likely be on the move, and a surprise team from the East might pounce on him.
Shams Charania of The Athletic is reporting that the Charlotte Hornets are reportedly interesting in taking the future Hall of Famer off of Houston’s hands.
Russell Westbrook was still an extremely productive player last year
While Westbrook didn’t dominate the ball at the same rate he did in Oklahoma City, he was still extremely productive in first, and potentially only, season with the Rockets. Westbrook averaged 27.6 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 7.0 assists per game. While the Rockets made the second round of the playoffs, they ran out of steam against LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers.
Charlotte, who finished 10th in the East last season, isn’t completely in tatters right now. The likes of Devonte’ Graham, PJ Washington, and Miles Bridges all look like solid contributors for the next few years, with Graham even showing some star potential. With the No. 3 pick in the 2021 Draft, the Hornets have the potential to select a potential co-star for Westbrook if they can get this deal consummated.
While Westbrook by himself might not be enough for Charlotte to really make some noise in the postseason, they will have a hard time landing free agents, so this trade could help them land a superstar while potentially getting rid of some bad contracts. This would be a bold move, but a team owned by Michael Jordan and constructed by Mitch Kupchak likely has no qualms about swinging for the fences.