Dark clouds continue to loom over the Los Angeles Clippers. After Paul George’s sudden departure from the franchise, speculations grow over Russell Westbrook‘s future in the City of Angels. Amidst the uncertainty over the latter’s fate, Clippers President Lawrence Frank recently broke his silence over the situation.
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During a recent press conference, he refused to outline a specific plan for Westbrook. Instead, Frank lauded the skillset and contributions of the 9x All-Star before emphasizing finding the best path for both parties. Expressing his viewpoint publicly, the 53-year-old voiced,
“Russ is a tremendous f***ing player…He is one of one for what he has accomplished…Obviously, he opted in but since the time he’s opted in and with PG leaving as well, we’ve kinda worked with his agent to see whether it’s the best fit for Russ…We’ll continue to work through his agent to kinda see what the best next steps are”.
This prolonged the initial tensions that arose just before the offseason began. Despite having only a year left on his contract, Westbrook and the Clippers didn’t actively try to find a long-term solution. Things settled down slightly when the 2017 MVP exercised the player option clause in his contract.
However, this failed to resolve Westbrook’s future with the franchise. Even though the Clippers remained open to retaining him, Frank subtly hinted at the potential preference to trade the NBA guard. More importantly, the California-born’s decision to opt in has given the organization the authority to explore its options.
Fortunately for the Clippers, finding a suitable trade solution could become a walk in the park. Their conference rivals, the Denver Nuggets, are reportedly keen on bringing Brodie to Colorado. As per Sports Illustrated’s Joey Linn, the Nuggets talisman Nikola Jokic had been pushing for this move for weeks. Veteran DeAndre Jordan also had been endorsing this trade within the organization.
Can confirm that Nikola Jokic has been pushing the Denver Nuggets to acquire Russell Westbrook.
I’m told DeAndre Jordan has also been advocating for what Westbrook could bring Denver on and off the floor.
Clippers exploring several potential trades involving Westbrook, but even…
— Joey Linn (@joeylinn_) July 1, 2024
Despite this strong interest, the Clippers are unlikely to rush into a decision. The franchise may take time to weigh its options. After all, they aim to make the most out of this scenario. The drama may continue for a few more weeks before concluding.
