The Mavericks want one other star as a lot as Russell Westbrook wants a house

1 Corinthians 13:12 “For now we see through a glass darkly.”

In Russell Westbrook’s thoughts, it’s nonetheless 2017. Judging by his sport since leaving the Oklahoma City Thunder, he’s been caught in a proverbial arrested improvement. In 2017, the Russell Westbrook of the historical past books was born. He was, and is, essentially the most athletic level guard in league historical past. He used that, mixed with a relentless motor, to common a triple-double in back-to-back-to-back seasons earlier than lacking a yr and doing it for the fourth time, beginning along with his MVP-winning season in 2016-2017. Not solely did he break Oscar Robertson’s file of being the one participant to common such a feat in a season, however he additionally quadrupled what had been thought-about an untouchable feat.

That accomplishment vaulted him into the historical past books, resulting in him being named one of many Top 75 Players within the historical past of the NBA and essentially the most beloved participant in Thunder historical past. While Westbrook seems virtually precisely as he did in 2017, step one is barely slower, the bounce somewhat shorter. But attempt telling Westbrook that, and he’ll let you realize promptly, you’re filled with shit.

Westbrook by no means bothered to place within the all-consuming work wanted to develop his damaged jumper right into a weapon of destruction. Instead, he maybe over-relied too usually on his athleticism, which to his protection, was usually sufficient to make him among the best gamers on the face of the planet. Now on the Lakers, his downhill sport doesn’t match the half-court exploits of teammates LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Lakers General Manager Rob Pelinka has finished Westbrook no favors by counting on fading vets over much-needed taking pictures. As a end result, Westbrook and the Lakers are headed in the direction of an eventual divorce. The solely motive it hasn’t occurred but is that the complete league has witnessed Westbrook’s declining skillset and opposing psychological tunnel imaginative and prescient.

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Westbrook has turn into a church of 1. He is behind the pulpit and within the pews, reciting psalms about himself. It brings to thoughts the Biblical verse, 1 Corinthians 13:12 “For now we see through a glass darkly.” Westbrook sees himself as nonetheless a famous person with out acknowledging the sport has handed him and his physique by within the league’s continued premium on taking pictures. This dissociation between Westbrook’s narrative round himself and NBA actuality has led to him being pushed additional out to the peripherals of league relevance. But, there stays a staff within the NBA in dire want of extra star energy. One who just lately squandered their capability to retain their second-best participant and is in dire want of a secondary-ball handler. Enter the Dallas Mavericks.

The Mavs current the perfect dwelling for Westbrook’s specific skillset. If the Lakers can be prepared to match Westbrook’s outgoing wage with a mixture of Tim Hardaway Jr., Dwight Powell, and Davis Bertans, each groups would instantly enhance by eliminating the contracts holding them again from enhancing. Westbrook is within the final yr of his contract, making him precisely the form of low-risk, high-reward swing Kristaps Porzingus was not. In addition, KP value the Mavs two first-round picks, an asset they need to refuse to incorporate in any deal for Westbrook. If they’ll make it occur, it makes a ton of sense.

Currently, the Mavericks roster is propped up by the second-best participant within the league and possible MVP of this season, Luka Dončić. But behind this rising supernova is a bunch of mediocrity and wishful pondering. After dropping their second-best participant, Jalen Brunson, to the New York Knicks for nothing, Mavs followers have been breaking their backs doing psychological gymnastics. First, they’ve overreacted to observe performances from Josh Green to neglect about Haralabos “Bob” Voulgaris selecting Green over Desmond Bane after GM Donnie Nelson’s Draft night time meltdown. Next, they’ve argued over the All-Star potential of Spencer Dinwiddie, a brutally inconsistent guard with a historical past of accidents who solely performed over 57 video games and averaged over 20 ppg as soon as every in an eight-season profession. Finally, they’ve satisfied themselves bench using middle Javel McGee will play higher as a starter at 34 years outdated than he did the primary time he performed for the Mavs within the 2015- 2016 season, the place he was waived after averaging a pithy 5 factors per sport and 4 rebounds per sport. Outside of Dončić, the Mavs lack star energy, and on-ball scoring whereas dropping Brunson, who was their insurance coverage final season when Dončić sat.

Their prize, an low season addition, was the mercurial Christian Wood. Wood has been among the best large stats on dangerous groups guys for the final couple of seasons. But, for some motive, GM Nico Harrison has continued the buffoonery of his predecessor Nelson by promising McGee the beginning middle place throughout a contract yr for Wood, a significantly better scorer, and rebounder however the poorer defender. Somebody make it make sense.

Westbrook would give the Mavs a box-office presence who, when staggered minutes-wise with Dončić, would supply a run-and-gun maestro who can maintain the tempo whereas being surrounded by the Mavs deadly taking pictures core. The Mavericks had been geared up with among the best taking pictures groups within the league final season, and Westbrook would thrive subsequent to shooters Reggie Bullock (36%), Dorian Finney-Smith (39%), Christian Wood (39%), and Dinwiddie (40% with the Mavs). Outside of Dončić and Wood, the remainder of the Mavs supporting forged doesn’t want the ball of their arms to attain. This would enable Westbrook to proceed the fallacy that he’s nonetheless the MVP-level pressure from years prior, because the Mavs present roster development would praise Westbrooks’s greatest qualities whereas hiding his worst.

Since the failed Rajon Rondo experiment within the 2014-2015 season, the Mavs have averted mercurial personalities just like the plague. Any participant who has proven an inch of ego has been swiftly shuttled off. Think of OJ Mayo, Monta Ellis, and Dennis Smith Jr. There isn’t any “I” in Dallas until you’re a European famous person and generational expertise. Then once more, proprietor Mark Cuban is prepared to bend his personal guidelines. But present GM Harrison has proven a willingness to take possibilities on guys with lower than stellar reps. Just have a look at his low season addition of Wood, who has a historical past of clashing with coaches.

In actuality, the Mavs won’t even be an choice at this level in Westbrook’s profession. First-year Lakers head coach Darvin Ham has mentioned all the best issues regarding Westbrook. “He’s ours, and we love him, and we want him to do well,” Ham instructed reporters. “I have a plan for him. That plan included him when they gave me the job. So it’s been a great camp for him. He’s played well. Energy has been through the roof. It’s been great.”

But if the season will get off to a different rocky begin, and Westbrook’s lack of taking pictures and on-ball domination pressure the Lakers to commerce his contract for the sake of eradicating him from the staff, his worth would drop to nil. At that time, there won’t be a spot for him in right now’s NBA. This is insane to consider, given his historic accomplishments had been just some years in the past. But if the Mavericks broke from custom, they might combine Westbrook’s distinctive skillset right into a low-risk parlay, giving the staff one other dynamic scorer, secondary ball-handler, and insurance coverage when Dončić. For it to work, it might take each side to acquiesce to the opposite. Most importantly, it might take Westbrook trying into the mirror actually and being okay with the participant peering again at him.