The New York Knicks still have one veteran’s minimum contract slot they can use in free agency. And Rachel Nichols thinks they should use it on Russell Westbrook.
Spoiler alert: They absolutely shouldn’t.
Speaking with Chris Mannix on Sports Illustrated’s Open Floor podcast, Nichols extolled the potential virtues of the Knicks adding Westbrook to the roster. “That’s a team that needs a guy like him,” she said (h/t Yahoo Sports). “That actually has a slot for a guy like him. I think he would flourish in New York. I think New York fans would love him, and I think he would be able to fill that sort of vet energy role really well.”
There is some merit to the energy sentiment. Westbrook certainly fits the blue-collar identity the Knicks forged under since-fired head coach Tom Thibodeau. New York also previously showed interest in signing the 2017 MVP earlier this summer. But the fit was questionable then, before any other moves were made. It is downright terrible now.
Russell Westbrook makes no sense for the Knicks
As James Edwards of The Athletic wrote in a recent mailbag, he expects the Knicks to use their final veteran’s minimum to sign a free-agent guard. That is fine. It doesn’t portend anything good for Tyler Kolek’s role next season, but if he’s not ready, New York’s rotation could use another reserve ball-handler, and playmaker.
Still, this theoretical ball-handler/playmaker must be able to shoot. The Knicks are already putting stress on their five-out model around Karl-Anthony Towns by potentially starting him alongside Mitchell Robinson. And while the addition of Jordan Clarkson is solid, particularly at the minimum, his 36.2 percent clip from downtown last season is an outlier. He is a career 33.6 percent shooter from deep for his career, and has averaged a 34.6 percent clip on spot-up threes for the past half-decade, according to BBall Index.
Adding Westbrook into a rotation with him, Robinson, and Josh Hart is just asking for trouble. The 36-year-old is hitting just 31.1 percent of his catch-and-shoot threes over the past half-decade, and hasn’t ranked as an above-average finisher at the rim since 2020-21.
Signing Russell Westbrook could mute the impact of other players
The limitations Westbrook could impose upon other players is similar to the impact of signing Ben Simmons. And Hart stands to suffer more than anyone.
Last year, across both the regular season and playoffs, 46.5 percent of Hart’s shot attempts came at the rim without Robinson on the floor, per PBP Stats. That number plunged down to 24.5 percent when the two played tougher. Those same limitations apply to lineups with Westbrook. And if the Knicks stagger the two, it severely restricts the rest of Mike Brown’s rotation.
This says nothing of the combustibility element. Westbrook is a big name. It will be a headline if he doesn’t, or if he does something, anything, that costs New York victories.
Sure, Westbrook made it work with the Denver Nuggets last season. But they have Nikola Jokic, the NBA’s highest-IQ passer. They also still lost the minutes with him on the floor, and he was downright destructive during their seven-game series against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Whatever Westbrook might bring to the table isn’t worth the potential downsides. There’s a reason he’s suited up for six different teams over the past seven years. The Knicks should stay away.