Russell Westbrook’s retirement on Wednesday closed the book on one of the most chaotic and memorable runs the NBA has ever seen. Eighteen seasons. 209 triple-doubles. An endless supply of speed, force and defiance.
It also brought a little perspective to an old Knicks question: what if New York had actually gone through with the idea of making him the centerpiece?
The answer, at least from where the franchise sits now, looks pretty clear. The Knicks were better off staying away.
Back in November 2020, Marc Stein reported that New York had kicked around the idea of trading for Westbrook, who still had about $131 million left over three seasons. That was a big swing for a team coming off a 21-win season and desperate for a star to pull it back into relevance.
On paper, you could see the temptation. Westbrook was 32, just a year removed from averaging 27.2 points, and he still had the kind of motor that could bully an offense into production over the grind of a regular season. He would have brought pace, pressure and a whole lot of edge to Madison Square Garden.
But the price tag was the trap. A move like that would have tied a heavy contract to a roster that was nowhere near ready to contend.
The Knicks needed flexibility, draft assets and room to figure out which young pieces were worth keeping. Westbrook would have been a shortcut, and an expensive one.
New York did not suddenly become wise overnight. The team still stumbled, missed on other stars and spent the next two years trying to sort out its backcourt.
Still, passing on Westbrook preserved the flexibility that later helped the Knicks land Jalen Brunson. Instead of forcing a quick fix, they gave Brunson room to grow into the lead guard role, kept building around him and eventually assembled a championship core.
Westbrook’s résumé stands on its own. He won the 2017 MVP, led the league in scoring twice, led it in assists three times and made nine All-Star teams. Even last season, at 37, he started 58 games for Sacramento and averaged 15.2 points with 6.7 assists.
None of that changes the Knicks’ calculation. The 2020 roster could not have given Westbrook what he needed, and his contract would have narrowed New York’s options during Leon Rose’s first years running the team.
The Knicks wanted a star. In the end, waiting gave them a chance to find the right one, not just the biggest name.
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