After Russell Westbrook finished last season with the Clippers, the team chose to re-sign the point guard on a two-year deal in the offseason.
Westbrook joined the Clippers after the trade deadline, signing as a free agent after being waived by the Jazz. He played in 21 games for Los Angeles and averaged 15.8 points and 7.6 assists with the team.
Although it was uncertain whether the Clippers would want Westbrook back, former NBA point guard Gilbert Arenas said it was a top priority for the team—and especially for head coach Ty Lue.
“I talked to Ty Lue,” Arenas said. “He said, ‘We gave him everything we had. He didn’t want to go nowhere, and we’re glad he didn’t.’”
As for why, Arenas said Lue told him just how important Westbrook became to the team in a short amount of time.
“We’ve never had a leader, and he is our leader,” Arenas claims Lue told him.
"He didn't wanna go nowhere... And I'm glad he didn't. We finally have a leader"
— Thunder Moneyball (@geola388) August 6, 2023
- Tyrone Lue to Gilbert Arenas
So many lies & narratives being pushed around about Russell Westbrook for YEARS of being a selfish, stat hunting player
Put some respect on his name pic.twitter.com/tg4dKeKlnF
Westbrook has been much maligned in his career, as he has struggled to find a permanent home after leaving the Thunder in 2019. However, the Clippers have needed a point guard to pair with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George since acquiring those two players, and it appears as though they believe Westbrook is the right fit.
