NBA turning point: New king may be born, traditional stars decline, where will Westbrook go

Now the NBA has indeed reached a critical juncture. The Thunder and Pacers, two teams that have never scored in the championship in history, have shown strong competitiveness this season. If one of the teams eventually wins the championship, the NBA will usher in a new king. Traditional giants like the Lakers and Celtics failed early this season in the playoffs. This scene is like the old guys gathered together to drink. The one who used to be able to drink two pounds now can only take a sip, and the protagonist of the past slowly retreated to the edge. Although the three top stars, James, Curry and Durant, are still online, and can show off their skills in the All-Star Game. It is okay to be the core of the team, but their ability to lead the team is indeed not as good as before. 40-year-old James is like an old car that has been driving for many years. The engine is still the same, but when he runs long distances, he obviously feels that his power cannot keep up. He plays in high-intensity playoffs and it is difficult for him to hold on to the full range of physical fitness. Curry used to be like a Spirit Cat, and he could score at the basket by dodging left and right. Now his finishing ability at the basket has plummeted. It is difficult to see that kind of elegant and agile breakthrough again, and it is becoming increasingly difficult to tear open the opponent's defense line. Not to mention Durant, he stopped in the regular season this year and is still busy with team changes, just like people who change jobs in the workplace, looking for a suitable next home everywhere.

Let's look at other traditional superstars, their decline is even greater than that of Jankudu. Let’s talk about Harden. Since leaving the Rockets, his scoring ability has dropped sharply, and his role on the court has also changed. He is now mainly responsible for organizing the connection. During the regular season this season, Harden seemed to have recovered some form, but it was no longer possible in the playoffs. I remember there was a playoff game for the Clippers. If Harden scored a few more goals, the Clippers might be able to really win the championship, but unfortunately he dropped the chain at the critical moment. And George, who averaged only 16 points per game this season. He is a typical person who knows everything, but he is not good at anything. Sometimes he feels like he is invisible on the court. Moreover, after joining the 76ers, his mentality has also changed. He has a bit of a negative game after getting a big contract, and he spends more time on podcasts than on the court. If he could correct his attitude towards playing, the 76ers lineup would still have certain competitiveness. After all, there are strong players like Embiid in the lineup.

If you want to talk about the superstar who has regressed the fastest in recent years, it must be Westbrook. After he left the Thunder, he changed 6 teams in 6 years, including the Rockets, Wizards, Lakers, Jazz, Clippers, and Nuggets. When he was in the Wizards, Westbrook also had the strength of a star. That season he averaged a triple-double per game, and won the Player of the Month, leading the Wizards to enter the playoffs at the last moment. But joining the Lakers has become a turning point in his career. On the one hand, with age and accumulation of injuries, Westbrook's explosive power has declined, and his competitive state is not as good as his peak period; on the other hand, he is incompatible with the Lakers' tactical system at all. He cannot get enough ball rights in the Lakers and cannot integrate into the team.

The Lakers recruited Westbrook, which was a loser for both sides, not only affected the team's record, but also lost Westbrook's value. In the second year of joining the Lakers, his annual salary was as high as 47 million, ranking second in the league. As a result, after being traded by the Lakers to the Jazz, the Clippers only provided him with a year-long basic salary contract. Westbrook became the first player in NBA history to directly reduce the maximum salary to the minimum salary, and most people can't stand this gap. But Westbrook is really admirable. Now he doesn’t care about his value and team positioning. No matter which team he is in or what role he plays, he will do his best to play. He is very enthusiastic on the court, always full of vitality, and can also drive the team atmosphere. Although he was just a role player in the past two years with the Clippers and the Nuggets, he played much better than when he was with the Lakers.

However, for most teams, Westbrook is like a double-edged sword and it is difficult to become a suitable championship puzzle. Take this season for example. Westbrook has outstanding moments, such as when he played against the Clippers in the first round, he played a role in key rounds many times; but there are also many helpless moments, such as the key positioning battle between the regular season and the Timberwolves, who directly lost the game with one offense and one defense. There is also the second round of the playoffs, Westbrook scored less than double-digit points in the last five games, and his efficiency was much lower than the first round. He also had embarrassing scenes such as "laying a bridge across the bridge" and "no three points" many times in the game. I guess the home team fans love and hate him. Last summer, the Nuggets gave Westbrook a two-year contract of $6.7 million, and his annual salary next season is 3.5 million.

, according to Marc Stein, Westbrook will reject player options this summer and become a full free agent, which means he may have to leave the Nuggets and continue his wandering career. NBA famous reporter Smith said this was just a small episode. I think Westbrook might do this to gain more choices, such as choosing a team and contract term, rather than making more money. I think he can sign a one-year veteran’s basic salary contract, but with his influence, he might get a 1+1 contract. I don’t know how the Nuggets’ management will decide. This season, the Nuggets have changed a lot. The head coach and general manager have changed. Jokic also clearly hopes that the team will strengthen. Whether Westbrook will continue to stay in the Nuggets is good or bad, it is hard to say now. But for Westbrook, he is indeed about to retire. A defender like him who relies especially on explosive power at the peak of his career is often not easy to live in his late career, just like Rose, Thomas Jr., Wall, and others, it is a bit sad.

Westbrook's career is like a roller coaster, with peak glory and current troughs. No one can tell what his future will be like. Whether to continue wandering and looking for opportunities or retire now is not only a problem that Westbrook has to face, but also a topic that all fans who like him are concerned about.