If you would have told me this time last year that Russell Westbrook would reunite with his childhood friend and former 6th Man of The Year & 2018 MVP James Harden in Houston, I would have laughed in your face. Fast forward to the Summer of 2019, it actually happened. The Houston Rockets traded away an aging Point Guard Chris Paul w/ Future Draft Picks for Russell Westbrook. In my opinion this is a last ditch effort for Houston to not only fight for a Championship in the Wild Wild West but also prove to the NBA world that Head Coach Mike D’Antoni is more than a Regular Season Coach. Both James & Russell will be 30 this upcoming NBA season which is old in Basketball Years. The other concern I have with these superstars joining forces again is the fact that both James & Russ will have to adjust their games to complement each other on offense. James will have to be willing to catch and shoot more than he ever did with CP3. Russell will have to make better clutch decisions in the 4th Quarter to maximize the All out effort he gives night in and night out on the court. Durability should no longer be an issue for the Rockets. However, like the internet, Father Time is undefeated which means Russell Westbrook’s Speed and agility will have to be closely monitored to prevent injury if the Rockets want to continue to be in playoff contention. This trade like many of the 2019 Free Agency moves was definitely a plot twist. The 2019-2020 NBA Season can’t get here fast enough!
