The Los Angeles Lakers parted ways with veteran Russell Westbrook under less-than-ideal circumstances. Whether you blame LeBron James, the front office, or perhaps more fairly, Westbrook himself, there is no denying how epic a failure the point guard's time with the franchise was.
Having your three leading scorers be unable to consistently spread the floor hurt the Laker offense. Add in the inevitable boneheaded Westbrook turnovers and mistakes, and the veteran still isn't a popular figure among fans.
It seems that this sentiment isn't just one held by Laker fans, with the veteran's search for a new landing spot continues deep into free agency. This is after opting to decline a $3.5 million player option with the Denver Nuggets. Choosing not to play alongside one of the best centers in league history is a choice. Perhaps not a wise one, as the market has proven.
For Westbrook, the issue remains the same: the energy the guard brings to the roster works in both directions. After being exciting one moment, it can lead to a team's downfall the next. Dumb shots or ill-advised passes have long defined the game of one of the former superstars.
The market has been dry for Russell Westbrook, and his future in the NBA is up in the air, per @basketballtalk
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) August 28, 2025
“Westbrook remains a free agent late into the summer after choosing not to pick up his $3.5 million player option with the Nuggets. So far, the market has not… pic.twitter.com/Dn1GIdIgmm
Former Lakers Point Guard Russell Westbrook Continues to Search for a Landing Spot
NBA insider Kurt Helin reported that the veteran's market has been dry. It is clear that choosing to decline the option hasn't worked out in his favor. For a player who often makes the wrong decision, this doesn't come as much of a surprise. It is hard to look at the NBA landscape and see a clear landing spot. Contending teams don't want to invite the potential chaos the star can bring, while bottom-of-the-league teams aren't going to want minutes stolen from young players.
Westbrook needs to find a role either at the end of the bench for a contender or with a team going through the motions of entertaining its fans. Either is going to result in the veteran's career continuing to take a frustrating turn. It doesn't help his legacy having played with three of the greatest players in league history and not winning a single thing of note.
Individual awards remain the highlight of his career, something that seems fitting as the league appears ready to turn the page on the entertaining guard. No question, the Lakers made the right call moving on, and the rest of the league appears to have caught up.