Russell Westbrook will have to call Los Angeles his NBA residence again. After a contract buyout with the Utah Jazz, the former league MVP is joining the Los Angeles Clippers to form a new Big Three together with Paul George and Kawhi Leonard.
Russell Westbrook was sent to the Jazz by the Los Angeles Lakers ahead of the NBA trade deadline in a three-team trade that also involved the Minnesota Timberwolves.
With Russell Westbrook about to officially become a member of the Clippers, a rival of the Lakers, emotions are on a high on Twitter.
“Despite what some analysts think, #Westbrook will be a way better fit with the #Clippers as opposed to the #Lakers,” opines Twitter user @melbo about the latest Russell Westbrook move. “The guard did not fit the previous roster because LeBron thrives when surrounded by shooters, which Russell is clearly not. Kawhi and PG are shooting 38% from deep.”
Another, “@KINGZIGZAG5STAR” said, “The Lakers did Russell Westbrook very dirty.”
With the Clippers, Westbrook is in a perfect position to make the Lakers pay for letting him go. Unlike the Lakers, the Clippers are not that desperate for wins, as they entered the All-Star Weekend fourth in the Western Conference with a 33-28 record. The Lakers, on the other hand, are not only out of the playoff picture at the moment but also not inside the play-in tournament window either.
“Imagine the Lakers tryna get rid of Russell Westbrook just for him to sign with the team down the hall and go to the playoffs lmao,” commented @Crenshaw_NoCali.
Some more reactions:
Start?! 🫠🫠🫠🫠
— Michael D. Fuller (@michaeldfuller) February 20, 2023
Playing Mann less minutes seems bad. Do you think this helps the Clippers?
— Richard Ito (@rich_ito) February 20, 2023
Bones Hyland right now: pic.twitter.com/4INW5YIiPG
— Jimmy Joe Jerkić (@Jimmyjoejerkic) February 20, 2023