The Washington Wizards were reportedly hot on the trail of veteran guard Russell Westbrook before he announced his retirement on Wednesday.
According to NBA insider Marc Stein, “Washington made a two-year offer to bring Westbrook back to the nation’s capital. Sources say Westbrook—not the team—is the party that ended those talks. The 37-year-old apparently balked at the specific terms of the offer and/or the role presented and has decided to stop playing instead.
The Wizards are an interesting team, having added Trae Young and Anthony Davis last season before winning the NBA draft lottery and landing top overall pick AJ Dybantsa this summer.
That trio—paired with Alex Sarr, Kyshawn George, Bilal Coulibaly, Deandre Ayton, Tre Johnson, Bub Carrington and Khris Middleton—has given the Wizards a fascinating blend of young and old.
Whether that bunch is good enough to break into the playoff picture in a loaded Eastern Conference remains to be seen, however.
The defending champion New York Knicks, new-look Philadelphia 76ers, Detroit Pistons and Cleveland Cavaliers seem like locks to reach the playoffs. The Toronto Raptors enter that conversation if the Kawhi Leonard trade happens. The Boston Celtics, Indiana Pacers—with Tyrese Haliburton returning—and Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Miami Heat are safe bets to at least be in the Play-In Tournament conversation. And the Atlanta Hawks and Orlando Magic were playoff teams last season and the Charlotte Hornets reached the Play-In Tournament last season.
Earning a playoff berth is going to be a daunting task, in other words.
The 37-year-old Westbrook would have certainly given the Wizards an experienced backup at point guard in those efforts. He was solid for the Sacramento Kings last season, albeit largely in a starting role, averaging 15.2 points, 6.7 assists and 5.4 rebounds per contest.
The nine-time All-Star, nine-time All-NBA selection, one-time MVP, two-time scoring champion, member of the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team future first-ballot Hall of Famer spent one season in Washington (2020-21). But he won’t be returning for a second go-around.