Will he be kicked out of the NBA? "I wouldn't touch Russell Westbrook in a million years"

Russell Westbrook remains without a team, and while in Europe it is claimed that he may find himself in the EuroLeague, in the United States they continue to wonder if he still has a place in the best league in the world.

"I wouldn't touch him in a million years," a league scout told the South Florida Sun Sentinel, as part of a conversation about veteran players the Miami Heat might consider adding. — "You can't trust him in terms of what you're going to get. Yes, he'll have big games, of course, but he can't shoot, plays his own way, doesn't fit into the system, and doesn't really defend."

The scout added that even the numbers Westbrook is still capable of producing do not necessarily contribute to building a winning team. "He will provide numbers and win you a few games, but when it comes to actually building a winning team, you don't add him," he said. Indeed, last year with the Kings, the veteran point guard provided averages of 15.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, 6.7 assists, and 1.4 steals per game.

Westbrook signed with the Kings only in October 2025, about a week before the start of the season, so it is possible that this time too his future will only become clear towards the autumn. According to estimates, he may again settle for a minimum contract for one season, worth about 3.8 million dollars. One of the options that has come up recently is a return to Houston, where he played in the 2019/20 season. Kenny Thomas, a former Rockets player, believes that Westbrook could fit the team in the role of a backup point guard, provided he agrees to accept a secondary status.

"Yes, without a doubt," said Thomas when asked if Houston should add him. "His approach needs to be that of a role player. Just because you are defined as a role player, it doesn't mean you can't come in and dominate the game. The question will be how he fits in, because Alperen Sengun and other young players are there. Kevin Durant is there, probably at his last stop. I think Houston has a great chance to make the move, and it could be an amazing move."

The discussion surrounding Westbrook's fit also returned to his failed period with the Los Angeles Lakers. The team finished the 2021/22 season with a 33-49 record, 11th in the West, and did not qualify for the playoffs despite a roster loaded with big names.

Trevor Ariza, who was part of that team, recently said that almost everything that could go wrong did go wrong. "Everything went wrong," he said. "Everyone on the team was very old. They just put together a lot of players who were excellent at one point, when each of them was the star of their own team."

Ariza also pointed to the professional mismatch between Westbrook, LeBron James, and Anthony Davis. "Everyone played inside the paint, and when there is no spacing there, you can't really play. You can't tell Russ, who is the point guard, to stand in the corner and expect him to shoot 40 percent," he explained.