After completing a contract acquistion, nine-time All-Star guard Russell Westbrook prepares to sign with the LA Clippers, his agent, Jeff Schwartz of Excel Sports, informed ESPN.
With Westbrook and also the Utah Jazz wrapping up the buyout on the remaining $47 million owed on his running out offer, the former NBA MVP will certainly return to Los Angeles– this time around with the Clippers. He was officially forgoed by the Jazz on Monday mid-day, the organization announced.
The Clippers became progressively interested with Westbrook as group officials, including trainer Ty Lue and also head of state of basketball operations Lawrence Frank, went into a collection of conversations with Westbrook, sources claimed. Those conversations fixated Westbrook’s readiness to fit into a clear and also particular duty with the Clippers constructed around his playmaking, recoiling as well as toughness, resources said.
Westbrook, 34, joins a Clippers core that has championship aspirations and includes his previous Thunder colleague Paul George.
Westbrook had reviewed manage the Chicago Bulls, Washington Wizards as well as Miami Warmth in recent days, yet the possibility to compete for a champion and stay in Los Angeles played a substantial component in his choice to choose the Clippers, sources claimed.
The Los Angeles Lakers traded Westbrook and a 2027 first-round draft choice to allure as part of a three-team bargain Wednesday. After a troubled season-plus with the Lakers, Westbrook required time to unwind and consider his possibilities. Westbrook accepted a sixth-man role for the Lakers, averaging 15.9 factors, 6.2 rebounds as well as 7.5 aids in 28.7 mins per video game.
Jazz CEO Danny Ainge, GM Justin Zanik as well as trainer Will Hardy told Westbrook on Friday that they would invite him reporting to the team, but the company was prioritizing as well as playing its more youthful gamers as well as would make no guarantees on mins or role size, resources said.
Meyers Leonard signing 10-day deal with Bucks, sources say
The Bucks have actually been monitoring Leonard’s progress for over a year as well as carried out an exercise with him last month, sources claimed. Milwaukee had an open lineup area as well as intended to bring in a huge guy with shooting ability and a playoff history. Leonard played 28 playoff games in his seven periods with the Rose city Path Blazers.
Leonard, 30, has had a long roadway back to the NBA because playing his last video game in January 2021 with the Miami Warmth, including a one-week NBA suspension and a $50,000 fine for the antisemitic slur. In an interview that aired last month, Leonard told Jeremy Schaap on ESPN’s “Outdoors the Lines” that he really did not understand the meaning or background of the slur he made use of.
” There are absolutely no justifications wherefore happened that day,” Leonard informed OTL. “And also lack of knowledge, unfortunately, is a really real point. I am not running from this, but I did not understand that it happened.”
After his suspension, Leonard was traded to the Oklahoma City Rumbling as well as right away forgoed. Leonard looked for therapy from two rabbis in South Florida and consulted with several Jewish companies on a regular basis, learning more regarding antisemitism.
” I felt like I had simply destroyed my life as well as every little thing that I helped, to be honest,” Leonard told Schaap. “… Individuals had every right to, I mean, make assumptions concerning me. People were going to need to, in the media, talk about this. And I comprehend, I do.
” I stated, ‘You better go manage this and to reveal people what remains in your heart.’ … I thought that it ‘d be much easier to be dead than it would be to take care of what had actually just taken place, since I want every person to like me. I do not dislike anyone. I would never purposefully hurt any person.”
Leonard has actually averaged 5.6 factors and also 3.9 rebounds 447 NBA games in stops with the Route Blazers as well as Heat. Leonard’s go back to the NBA was delayed as a result of injury, too, including ankle and also shoulder rehabilitations that left him incapable to pursue a contract till previously this period.
” Given that his use a disparaging and undesirable term in 2021, Meyers Leonard has been held liable and has devoted considerable time and effort to recognize the influence of his remark,” NBA spokesperson Mike Bass claimed just recently. “He has actually met numerous leaders in the Jewish neighborhood and participated in community programs to inform himself and also utilize his system to share his understandings with others.”
Last Updated: 21 February 2023
