Old teammates reunited? Westbrook joins the Mavericks? The Lakers dual-core teams up again?

In this period of time, in addition to rookie dynamics, the operating trends of each team have also begun to be put on the agenda. Recently, news about Russell Westbrook has gradually become popular in the headlines:

According to reports, Westbrook refused to execute the player option and officially became a full free agent.

This also means that Westbrook's next home has become a question again. Although it has become a basic salary player, relying on the huge star traffic, "Where to Westbrook" has once again become a hot topic in the summer transfer market.

Today, according to Sports Illustrated, the Mavericks are a very suitable potential next home for Westbrook.

Sports Illustrated pointed out that the Mavericks' focus of signing this summer is to find a reliable point guard. The team's starting guard Kyrie Irving suffered a serious injury from a torn cruciate ligament. It is expected that it will not return to the arena healthily until January or February next year at the earliest. During this period, the Mavericks need a temporary backup to maintain the team's operation.

In addition to Sports Illustrated, American media Bleacher Report reporter Adam Wells also expressed a similar view:

"I know some people will say that Westbrook and the Mavericks have different styles. But don't forget that the Mavericks will likely use the No. 1 pick in 2025 to pick Cooper Flag. If this is true, the core goal of the whole season will be to Flag's rapid growth."

This choice is not unreasonable. Although Westbrook's ability in the field has declined significantly in recent seasons, from the perspective of young players' training, Westbrook's value in developing rookie players is also worth the Mavericks' bet.

Of course, as a controversial candidate who frequently switches teams in recent seasons, if you choose to take over Westbrook, the problem will naturally follow: if a veteran who mainly controls the ball and has a large amount of ball rights occupy the core back line, will it affect the team's progress?

With the help of Adam Wells' statement, although Westbrook used to focus on the ball, he has gradually adapted to new roles in recent years. This season, he has been actively adjusting in the Nuggets and actively transforming into an off-ball substitute. In a team like the Mavericks that lack the ball holding point, Westbrook's propulsion ability may become a plus.

From the perspective of player data, Westbrook's basic salary in the 2024-25 season still maintains a certain competitiveness. In the regular season, he played 75 games for the Nuggets, started 36 games, and averaged 13.3 points, 6.1 assists and 4.9 rebounds per game. He played in 13 games in the playoffs, averaging 11.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game. Although he is no longer the triple-double machine he used to be, as a veteran substitute, or even a short-term starter, he still has considerable value.

Especially during the recovery stage of Irving, Westbrook can fill the vacancies of the team's point guard and share some organizational tasks. After Irving returns, Westbrook can also seamlessly switch back to the substitute role.

Of course, some people have raised concerns: Will Westbrook's aggressive style of play and a high demand for ball rights interfere with the growth of the team's rookies? This issue is still worth discussing at the moment, but if you can sign Westbrook at the base salary, it will be very good in terms of cost-effectiveness. Coincidentally, if Westbrook can really join the Mavericks, he will join forces with Davis again.

From the perspective of fans, do you think the Mavericks should sign Westbrook? Or, which team will Westbrook be next?