Westbrook exercises $47M option to stay with Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers guard Russell Westbrook is exercising his option to play for $47.1 million next season, a person with direct knowledge of the decision said Tuesday.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because neither Westbrook — a past NBA MVP and one of the league's top 75 all-time players — nor the Lakers revealed the decision publicly. ESPN first reported Westbrook's decision.
It certainly was not a surprise, considering Westbrook would not have commanded anywhere near $47.1 million for this coming season had he chosen to become a free agent. He'll turn 34 next season, his 15th in the NBA.
Westbrook had until Wednesday to make up his mind on the option, which will make this the fifth and final season of a $207 million contract he signed with the Oklahoma City Thunder. The nine-time All-Star has been well-traveled since — he was traded to Houston in 2019, traded to Washington in 2020 and was moved to the Lakers in 2021.
That created what was supposed to be a great trio: Westbrook alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
It didn't work out anywhere near as planned. The Lakers were dogged by injuries all season, missed the playoffs, fired coach Frank Vogel after the season and Westbrook has taken much of the blame for what happened.
He averaged 18.5 points, 7.4 rebounds and 7.1 assists in 78 games with the Lakers. Only four other players — two-time reigning NBA MVP Nikola Jokic of Denver, James Harden of Philadelphia, Luka Doncic of Dallas and Dejounte Murray of
San Antonio — finished the season with higher averages than Westbrook had in those three stat categories.
But his scoring average was his lowest since 200910, and his 3-point percentage — 29.8% — ranked 251st out of 278 NBA players who attempted at least 100 shots from beyond the arc this season.
WALL TO BE BOUGHT OUT, INTENDS TO JOIN CLIPPERS >>
John Wall and the Houston Rockets have agreed that his contract will be bought out, a move that will free him to sign with any team of his choosing, two people with knowledge of the situation said Monday night.
Wall's preference will be to sign with the Los Angeles Clippers, according to one of the people who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the five-time All-Star guard had not announced his intentions publicly.
Wall will receive roughly $41 million from Houston, according to the other person who spoke with AP. Wall was scheduled to make $47.4 million this coming season, his last in what was a four-year contract.
CELTICS' HARDY ACCEPTS OFFER TO BECOME JAZZ COACH >>
Boston Celtics assistant Will Hardy has accepted an offer to become the coach of the Utah Jazz, a person with knowledge of the negotiations said Tuesday.
Hardy and the Jazz were in the process of finalizing contract language, according to the person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because neither side announced the deal publicly.
Hardy will become an NBA head coach for the first time. He will replace Quin Snyder, who decided to leave the Jazz earlier this month after eight seasons.
ESPN and The Athletic first reported the agreement between Hardy and the Jazz.
Hardy spent one season in Boston, helping the Celtics reach the NBA Finals. His previous 11 seasons were spent with the San Antonio Spurs, starting as a basketball operations intern, moving into the video room and eventually becoming an assistant under all-time wins leader and five-time NBA champion Gregg Popovich.
Hardy also assisted Popovich during USA Basketball's appearances at the 2019 Basketball World Cup and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Hardy left San Antonio for Boston to work for another former Spurs assistant, Ime Udoka, who took the Celtics to the finals in his first season as a head coach.
And given the success of the Popovich coaching tree in the NBA, it's no wonder the Jazz decided Hardy was the right hire.
Consider the roster of current NBA and WNBA coaches who have played for, worked for, coached under Popovich, or some combination thereof.
The Warriors' Steve Kerr just won his fourth title as a coach — beating Udoka, Hardy and the Celtics in that series — and ninth championship overall. Milwaukee's Mike Budenholzer led the Bucks to the 2021 NBA title. Phoenix's Monty Williams guided the Suns to the NBA's best record this season and made the finals last year. Memphis' Taylor Jenkins led the Grizzlies to the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference this season. Philadelphia's Doc Rivers has won an NBA title, Sacramento's Mike Brown went to the NBA Finals in his second season as a head coach in Cleveland and Becky Hammon has the Las Vegas Aces off to the best start in the WNBA in her first season.