There's a reason Russell Westbrook wants to be traded from the Houston Rockets.
According to Kelly Iko of The Athletic, Westbrook has been uneasy about the Rockets' “accountability” and culture.
Russell Westbrook, who has three years and $123 million remaining on his deal, has expressed the sentiment to Houston officials, sources said. Westbrook has informed team officials that he has been uneasy about the team's accountability and culture, and wants to join a team where he can have a role similar to his prior, floor-general role in Oklahoma City.
It looks like the Westbrook-James Harden show is going to last just one season. The Rockets won 44 games during the 2019-20 regular season, finishing with the fourth-best record in the rugged Western Conference standings.
Westbrook, the 2017 MVP with the Oklahoma City Thunder, averaged 27.2 points, 7.9 rebounds and 7.0 assists for the Rockets in 57 starts. Both Russ and Harden made the All-Star team, too.
However, the Rockets lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in the second round of the 2020 playoffs in five games. Westbrook didn't play particularly well after contracting COVID-19 and suffering a quad injury prior to the league's restart.
It's pretty interesting that Westbrook wants to leave Houston, especially since he and Harden are really close friends. It's going to be fascinating to see where the Rockets trade Westbrook and what type of return they get for the future Hall of Famer.
Since entering the NBA, Westbrook has compiled per-game averages of 23.2 points, 7.1 boards and 8.3 assists.
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