Russell Westbrook might not have an NBA Championship on his resume, but that doesn't mean he isn't Hall of Fame-bound. After an almost 20-year-long career, the man whose name is synonymous with triple-doubles has achieved legendary status.
Westbrook is a former NBA Most Valuable Player. He is a nine-time All-Star, not to mention a two-time All-Star Game MVP. He's a two-time NBA scoring champion and a three-time NBA assists leader. And he currently holds the record for the most triple-doubles, though Jokic is likely coming for that one.
Media day is finished and all of the teams in the NBA are in their training camps, preparing for the preseason. At this point, Russell Westbrook remains an unsigned free agent. While it's true that he isn't the player he used to be, it remains a shock that he isn't on a roster.
Westbrook was almost a King
After the Denver Nuggets chose not to re-sign Westbrook, he became an unrestricted free agent. The only teams with buzz surrounding Westbrook were the Houston Rockets and the Sacramento Kings.
For the Rockets, talk of signing Westbrook was a relatively recent development. After Fred VanVleet's potentially season-ending injury, there were rumors of Houston bringing Russell in as a point guard.
For the Kings, the conversation has been going on a lot longer. The front office had been trying to trade Malik Monk or DeMar DeRozan in hopes of making room for Westbrook for months.
Obviously, neither team has signed him so far. If the Kings haven't taken the leap on Westbrook by now, it probably isn't going to happen. And Houston hasn't appeared to make any move that would bring Westbrook to the Rockets.
What held the Kings back?
Even though the Kings never traded Monk or DeRozan, they did briefly open up a roster spot when they waived Terence Davis. The Kings brought Davis back a couple of weeks later, closing that spot without bringing in Westbrook.
The reality of the Kings' roster has been thoroughly documented at this point. They are overloaded with shoot-first players, primarily guards, and really didn't need another one in the form of Russell Westbrook.
Despite Westbrook's bonafides, there was little need for him on the Kings' roster. Most pundits saw that early on in the conversation, questioning the logic of bringing him in at this stage of his career.
While there is still time for another team to pick him up, it is possible fans have seen the last of Russell Westbrook in the NBA. And that is a tough way for a legend to go out.