Several days ago, the Los Angeles Clippers made a very interesting signing by bringing in Russell Westbrook, who had spent the last year-and-a-half with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Fans and observers seem split on whether Westbrook will help or hurt the Clippers, but former NBA star Antoine Walker seems to like the move for the Clippers.
On Fox Sports 1’s “First Things First,” he said that Westbrook will bring an energy and sense of urgency they haven’t really had.
"The Clippers need a guy like Russ. He brings it every night — he's going to bring that energy that you need. That's going to help them, especially come playoff time." — @WalkerAntoine8 pic.twitter.com/s78czAl6L3
— First Things First (@FTFonFS1) February 24, 2023
Westbrook’s time with the Lakers, the team he rooted for growing up in the Southland, was checkered, and although he played well at times, the flaws in his game were glaring, partly because he simply isn’t the MVP-caliber player he was a few years ago.
While Lakers fans were disgusted with him and wanted him off the team in any way possible, Clippers fans are welcoming him with open arms, and many feel he will be the final piece to a championship puzzle.
The Clippers have lacked a true offensive identity over the last few years, partly because they aren’t a fast-breaking team, and Westbrook will give them that type of dimension that they’ve been lacking.
Position-wise, they have lacked a high-level point guard since Kawhi Leonard and Paul George arrived, and Westbrook can help address that.
However, he is a mercurial player who is turnover-prone and sometimes takes ill-advised risks, and he is one of the worst perimeter shooters in basketball.
There are certainly times he will help raise the Clippers’ game a bit, but come playoff time, look for opposing teams to expose his weaknesses, as they did against the Lakers dating back to last season.
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