NBA Trade Rumors: Russell Westbrook to Golden State Would Be Perfect Match
Even though the season is still young, the idea of the Golden State Warriors moving one of their guards for Russell Westbrook now makes a lot of sense.
Before seeing the Warriors this season, I never would have thought to suggest that they should move Stephen Curry for Westbrook. Reading ESPN’s J.A. Adande suggesting such a thing would have sent me into a tirade.
It’s amazing how three games can change things. Take a look at how the Warriors have done thus far this season.
| Opponent | Points Allowed |
| Los Angeles Clippers | 105 |
| Chicago Bulls | 91 |
| New York Knicks | 78 |
At the beginning of the season, if you would have told me that Golden State would face those three offenses, fail to score 100 points even once, and be 2-1, you would have been laughed at. The Warriors have lived and died with the break in recent years. They score a lot, they allow a lot.
While it’s still early, that’s not the case anymore.
The Warriors are actually showing a commitment to defense. Given that their new coach is Mark Jackson, that’s shouldn’t be particularly surprising, but it is. It’s surprising because this team has almost prided itself in not defending for a long time.
Westbrook is a better defender than either one of the Warriors’ primary back court members, Curry or Monta Ellis. He would work better with either of them than they work together. More importantly for a trade, either of them would work better with Kevin Durant than Westbrook does.
Now, Adande did suggest that the Warriors move Curry for Westbrook. If they could make that Ellis, this would be a better move for Golden State. But if it has to be Curry, the trade still works.
Westbrook brings the perimeter defense to the Warriors that they have lacked for a long time. As Adande said, playing in the small market of Oklahoma City doesn’t particularly appeal to him.
He’s from California and went to UCLA, so there’s something of a hometown (or at least home state) pull for Westbrook. He’d be much closer to the environment where he grew up in.
The Warriors will certainly have the money to pay Westbrook. More than that, they will have the money to bring in talent to build around him. And they would still have either Curry or Ellis. That’s a strong foundation for a winning team.
If you’re on a team that lives and dies with offense, as the Warriors have been in the past, then a backcourt of Ellis and Curry is the way to go. But placing an emphasis on a complete game, Westbrook is a better match with either.
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