BYE BYE, BRODIE
Russell Westbrook reflects on OKC as he launches a new chapter with the Rockets
The Houston Rockets introduced Russell Westbrook on Friday, and Westbrook was asked his impressions of Houston.
Westbrook, apparently bringing a new attitude to his new city, decided to offer up a good quote to the Houston press corps: “It's hot as hell.”
Rockets general manager Daryl Morey, always in recruiting mode, quickly interjected:
“For free agents out there, it's 75 degrees all through the season.”
So there you have it. Rough in the summer, rosy come the season. You know. Sort of the opposite of what could happen in Houston come winter. Rosy now, but rough later.
Westbrook and Morey spoke glowingly about the strange pairing of Westbrook with James Harden, his old pal from their Los Angeles youths and early Thunder days. But it's a strange strategic pairing. Both are ball-dominant point guards. The Rockets are a team built around prolific 3-point shooting;
Westbrook is an historically poor deep-ball gunner. Harden's reputation for defensive laziness is legendary; Westbrook defends with passion when he wants to, he just doesn't always want to. Seems a combustible mix. And it's not like their Thunder days were a Westbrook/Harden ballet. Harden excelled as the leader of the second unit, often with help from Kevin Durant. Rarely were Westbrook and Harden together the focal point of any offense.
But there was Morey on Friday, lauding the tandem. With good reason. Elite talent is the most precious commodity in the NBA. It's impossible to replicate. If you've got it, you can always tinker.
"The biggest strength, I think, of Coach (Mike) D'Antoni and his staff is taking what guys are good at and putting them in ways to succeed, but not saying that they need to change, but figuring out how to utilize their strengths,” Morey said. “That's what Mike's done better than any coach I've ever worked with. When you've got two MVPs, it's a lot to work with."
Westbrook told Houstonians he was willing to sacrifice, and don't roll your eyes. Westbrook showed that in Oklahoma City. He went from Kevin Durant's sidekick to MVP then back to sidekick status, Paul George's, especially last season.
“To be willing to win something, you've got to be willing to sacrifice some parts,” Westbrook said. “We both have one common goal and that is to win a championship.”
OK. But when Westbrook said he and Harden would be cohesive — “I don't have to touch the ball to impact the game” — it didn't ring true. Rocket scientists have theorized that Westbrook would work best cutting from the wing with Harden in his typical isolation game. But go back through your mind and try to picture Westbrook in a Thunder uniform, moving without the ball.
That NEVER happened.
Can Westbrook change his spots at age 31?
“We understand what we have to do,” Westbrook said. “I'm not worried about it, and I know James isn't worried about it. I can play off the ball. I can do other things on the floor to make sure we have a better chance to win.”
But can Westbrook change that much? Can he go back to letting his center grab unobstructed rebounds? Steven Adams' unselfishness forever will have a piece of Westbrook's triple-double history.
Westbrook is capable of change. But it's much easier to SAY, when it's a summer sauna in Houston, than to actually do it, when it's the pressure, not the temperature, that is hotter than hell, and two diverse superstars are trying to mesh.
Berry Tramel: Berry can be reached at 405-760-8080 or at btramel@oklahoman.com. He can be heard Monday through Friday from 4:40-5:20 p.m. on The Sports Animal radio network, including FM-98.1. You can also view his personality page at newsok.com/berrytramel.