Nine-time All-Star and former league MVP Russell Westbrook is officially a member of the Washington Wizards. This week, the Wizards acquired the 32-year-old Westbrook from the Rockets in exchange for John Wall and a first-round draft pick.
In Washington, Westbrook will join two-time All-Star Bradley Beal. Last season, the 27-year-old Beal averaged career-highs in points(30.5) and assists(6.1), and was an All-Star snub in 2019-20.
On Saturday, Westbrook met the D.C. media, and he discussed doing his part to make things easier for Beal.
“Brad(Beal) is a superstar talent,” Westbrook said. “He proved that and showed that last year with what he had, and he’s only going to get better. My job is to come in and continue to uplift him, try to push him to be better. That’s all I’m here for, man. I’m happy to be his counterpart and try to make the game easier for him.”
On paper, Westbrook and Beal are one of the best backcourts in basketball. The key is these two being able to complement each other on the floor. Beal had the ball in his hands a lot last season, and Westbrook is another player that flourishes with the ball in his hands, so it will be something that both players have to figure out.
Making the playoffs won’t be easy in the Eastern Conference for Washington. Out of the eight teams(Bucks, Raptors, Celtics, Pacers, Heat, 76ers, Nets, and Magic) that made the playoffs last season, there’s probably one team you could see possibly not making the playoffs, which is Orlando. Other than that, those other seven teams either have gotten better or pretty much stayed the same. However, every year in the NBA, some teams become surprisingly good and others become surprisingly bad.
Therefore, Westbrook and Beal must have big seasons and stay healthy. Also, Davis Bertans, an elite shooter, must live up to his big contract(five years, $80 million). In addition, the younger guys like Rui Hachimura, Thomas Bryant, and Troy Brown Jr. must take that next step as players. No matter what happens, having Westbrook in D.C. will bring new energy to the team and fanbase, which should be fun to see this season.
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