WHAT? You Won't Believe This Theory About Russell Westbrook

ESPN's Tim Bontemps was on Brian Windhorst's Podcast, and he had a bold statement about Los Angeles Lakers guard Russell Westbrook. The nine-time NBA All-Star has also played for the Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets and Washington Wizards.

ESPN's Tim Bontemps was on the latest episode of Brian Windhorst's Podcast (Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective), and he had a very interesting theory about Los Angeles Lakers guard Russell Westbrook (h/t Lakers Daily). 

Tim Bontemps on Russell Westbrook: ‘He might be out of the league after the Lakers’ https://t.co/JzYRx9zhZU

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) July 22, 2022

Bontemps: "I think you can make a good case, if Russell Westbrook is not on the Lakers at the start of this season, I think you can make a good argument he's never gonna play in the NBA again."

Westbrook finished his first season with the Lakers averaging 18.5 points, 7.4 rebounds and 7.1 assists per game. 

He also played in 78 out of the 82 games that the Lakers played. 

They ultimately had a terrible season, and finished as the 11th seed in the Western Conference with a 33-49 record. 

Therefore, a team with Westbrook, LeBron James and Anthony Davis, missed the NBA Playoffs and the play-in tournament. 

This summer, Westbrook opted into the final year of his contract that will pay him $47.1 million next season. 

Russell Westbrook is opting in to his $47.1 million player option with the Lakers for the 2022-23 season, sources confirm to The Athletic.

The 33-year-old Westbrook averaged 18.5 PPG on 44.4% shooting from the field last season. pic.twitter.com/qtY7jp1Bwm

— The Athletic NBA (@TheAthleticNBA) June 28, 2022

He has been in nonstop trade rumors about his future with the Lakers. 

A potential Lakers trade package sending Russell Westbrook and a first-rounder to the Pacers for Myles Turner and Buddy Hield is currently dead, sources tell @bkravitz.

The Pacers want an additional first-round pick added.

More: https://t.co/7dPG18ENu2 pic.twitter.com/UYVE09502x

— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) July 22, 2022

Westbrook is a nine-time NBA All-Star, and has also played for the Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets and Washington Wizards.  

His best years of his career came when he played 11 straight seasons for the Thunder. 

They made the NBA Finals in 2012, and in 2017 he won the MVP of the NBA.  

In the past three summers, he has been traded, so if he were to get moved again it would be four straight summers of finding a new home.