LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA – SEPTEMBER 08: Russell Westbrook #0 of the Houston Rockets during the second quarter against the Los Angeles Lakers in Game Three of the Western Conference Second Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on September 08, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
The Knicks are reportedly interested in taking on Russell Westbrook and his giant contract.
The Houston Rockets are going through a new transition both on the court and in the front office. Russell Westbrook reportedly wants out, and the Rockets now need to find a trade partner to take on his massive contract as they’re on the verge of falling apart.
Add the New York Knicks to the lists of suitors, according to the New York Times‘ Marc Stein.
Russell Westbrook could be heading to NYC
The Knicks have been searching for a star for years. Big dreams in free agency haven’t come to fruition and a trade for Westbrook allows the franchise to get a big-name player in Madison Square Garden.
Westbrook is set to earn north of $40 million this season, over $44 million in 2021-22 and has a $47 million player option in 2022-23. That is a ton of money to take on for a 32-year-old guard.
But the Knicks need some sort of life after another disappointing season in 2019-20. The franchise has not made the postseason since 2013 and the only big contract on the team right now is Julius Randle’s salary of $18.9 million this season. The money is there to spend in order to inject life in the form of Westbrook.
Some Knicks fans will freak out about this possibility in a negative way. The team would be stuck with that money owed to Westbrook and it would limit the possibility of adding other stars. However, the Knicks have not been able to lure big-name free agents as it is, so adding a veteran like Westbrook could at least add some structure to the team.
Such a trade would also involve the Knicks sending several core players to Houston in return. This could give the franchise a bit of a reset, and having Westbrook as the centerpiece could lead to him convincing other solid players to join him in New York City.