Clippers’ Russell Westbrook Picks Up $4M Option For 2024-25 Season

Los Angeles Clippers guard Russell Westbrook is picking up his $4 million player option for the 2024-25 season, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. This is part of the two-year, $7.86 million deal he signed with the team last July.

Russell Westbrook facilitated the Los Angeles Clippers’ path to their first 50-win season since 2016-17

Westbrook began his first full season with the Clippers as the starting point guard. However, the late-October trade for James Harden led to the nine-time All-Star becoming a sixth man for his second straight team.

Although he was demoted to the second unit, Westbrook’s move to the bench this season spurred the Clippers’ best regular season in the Kawhi Leonard-Paul George era.

ESPN Sources: Nine-time All-Star G Russell Westbrook is picking up his $4 million option and returning to the Los Angeles Clippers. Westbrook averaged 11.1 points, 5 rebounds and 4.5 assists a season ago. pic.twitter.com/p1sIeJy2tk

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2024

The Clippers finished 51-31 during the regular season and lost to the Dallas Mavericks in the first round of the NBA Playoffs. It was the franchise’s first 50-win season since 2016-17.

In 68 games (11 starts) this past season, Westbrook averaged 11.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1.1 steals, and 22.5 minutes per game. His averages for points, assists, and minutes played were all career lows.

Westbrook is the only NBA player to average 10 points, five rebounds, and five assists off the bench for a career

Westbrook is the only player to average 10 points, five rebounds, and five assists off the bench for a career since starters were first tracked in 1970-71 (minimum 50 games), according to ESPN Stats & Information.

Prior to his hand injury, Westbrook was holding opponents to 39.7% shooting as the contesting defender, the third best among players to contest 300 or more shots last season, per Second Spectrum.

Toward the end of the regular season, Westbrook extended his triple-double record and joined Jason Kidd as the only NBA players to tally at least 15 points, 15 rebounds, and 15 assists in a single game after age 32.

In the Clippers’ 105-92 win over the Phoenix Suns on April 9, he posted 16 points, 15 rebounds, 15 assists, and two steals in 39 minutes as a starter for his first triple-double of the season and 199th of his career.

He finished 7-of-17 (41.2%) shooting from the field and 2-of-4 (50%) from 3-point range.

Westbrook’s 199 career triple-doubles lead the NBA’s all-time list, followed by Oscar Robertson (181), Magic Johnson (138), Nikola Jokic (130), LeBron James (112), Kidd (107), Wilt Chamberlain (78), Luka Doncic (77), and Clippers teammate James Harden (77).