Russell Westbrook transitioned to a sixth man role with the Los Angeles Clippers this season, and publicly, the process seemed to go quite smoothly. Behind the scenes, however, this may not have been the case.
There are some doubts about whether Westbrook might return to the Clippers next season as he may seek a bigger role, according to Sam Amick and Law Murray of The Athletic. Westbrook had to be convinced by team president Lawrence Frank to accept a reserve role after the team acquired James Harden in November, and sources said the move to a reserve role was “far more challenging” behind the scenes than it appeared publicly.
Westbrook has a $4 million player option for next season, which is not too much higher than the veteran minimum he would be entitled to anywhere. There is a very real chance he chooses to decline that option in search of a bigger role elsewhere.
At the time Westbrook was shifted to a sixth man role, reports indicated that he did so voluntarily. That ultimately may not have been the case. He was largely effective in his new role, averaging 11.1 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.5 assists in 22.5 minutes per game. He offered little in the playoffs, with his most notable moment coming when he got ejected from Game 3.