Could we see a potential Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant reunion in the Valley in the 2024-25 season?
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!According to online betting site Bovada, the Phoenix Suns are tied for the fourth-best odds to land Westbrook if he leaves the Los Angeles Clippers this offseason at +700.
The Miami Heat are the favorites at +300 followed by the Chicago Bulls at +325 and Oklahoma City Thunder at +400. The San Antonio Spurs, Denver Nuggets and Boston Celtics are all tied with the Suns at +700.
The Miami Heat are the favorites to land Russell Westbrook if he leaves the Clippers, per @BovadaOfficial
Miami Heat +300
Chicago Bulls +325
Oklahoma City Thunder +400
Brooklyn Nets +700
San Antonio Spurs +700
Phoenix Suns +700
Denver Nuggets +700
Boston Celtics +700(Via… pic.twitter.com/YvVcl8J3Ph
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) June 11, 2024
It is already known that the Suns will be looking to add a point guard this offseason. Westbrook has a player option for the 2024-25 season to decide if he wants to stay with L.A. on an expiring contract that will pay him just over $4 million next season. He signed a two-year, $7.8 million contract with the Clippers last offseason, taking a pay cut to stay.
Westbrook would have to take a discount of around $1 million to come to Phoenix on a veteran-minimum deal if he declined this player option. Due to the Suns operating over the second-tax apron, Phoenix cannot sign incoming free agents to anything more than a veteran minimum because of the new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) rules.
Westbrook, a nine-time All-Star and the 2016-17 MVP, averaged a career-low 11.1 points on 45.4/27.3/68.8 shooting splits to go along with 5.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.1 steals in 22.5 minutes per game across 68 contests this season in a new role off the bench with the Clippers.
“I have a lot of respect for Russ for what he’s done for his career and for the Clippers,” Clippers team president Lawrence Frank said of Westbrook following the season. “The way it works with the player options is typically I’ll sit down with Russ, (coach Tyronn Lue) will sit down with Russ, talk with his representative Jeff Schwartz, and you kind of outline what the role is going forward. It’s very similar to when Russ came last summer … and then Russ has a decision to make.”
(via Sports Illustrated’s Joey Linn)
Asked Lawrence Frank about Russell Westbrook, his statement, and future with the Clippers.
Here’s his full response: pic.twitter.com/BKpYCALMwz
— Joey Linn (@joeylinn_) May 6, 2024
Westbrook and Durant, both 35, became one of the most dynamic duos in the NBA with the Thunder. In the same year the team relocated from Seattle to Oklahoma City, the franchise drafted Westbrook with the No. 4 overall pick in 2008, one year after selecting Durant No. 2 overall, and the two stars would go on to play eight seasons together with the Thunder.
However, their relationship was strained when Durant left to join the Golden State Warriors in 2016, less than a couple months after the Thunder blew a 3-1 lead to them in the Western Conference Finals.
Kevin Durant in tears talking about how much he loves Westbrook in his MVP speech. The media tried to seperate them with a false narrative. pic.twitter.com/HFMpN4hR3B
— TDI (@TheDarklnvader) April 7, 2020
The Suns were swept in the first round of the NBA playoffs by the Minnesota Timberwolves this season, but as long as they have their Big 3 of Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal, big-time free agents will all be discussed with Phoenix, even with how little the team can offer, as exemplified by Westbrook and LeBron James.
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Brendan Mau is a senior writer covering the Phoenix Suns and more for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on X via @Brendan_Mau
