The Miami Heat are coming off a first-round sweep at the hands of the Cleveland Cavaliers this past season.
During this quiet offseason, the acquisition of Norman Powell from the Los Angeles Clippers and extending the contract of Davion Mitchell were definitely conducive to Miami's future success, but Bleacher Report's Andy Bailey outlined why future Hall of Famer Russell Westbrook would be an ideal fit in Dade County.
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Westbrook has gone through a few different phases after winning the 2016-17 MVP award (and doing so while averaging a triple-double), but at this point in the 36-year-old's career, Bailey pointed out that a pairing with the Heat may save the superstar from perennial free agency.
It would be unlikely that Westbrook takes the starting spot from Tyler Herro, but especially with the influx of combo guards in Miami, much of Westbrook's value can be through his leadership. Additionally, his ability to drive and kick can create quality opportunities for the perimeter shooters on the roster.
The point guard from UCLA is coming off a 13.3 points, 6.1 assists, and 4.9 rebounds per game season while with the Denver Nuggets, doing so on a 50.5 effective field goal percentage (which adjusts field goal percentage to account for three-pointers being worth more than other field goals). For the second season in a row, Westbrook finished seventh in Sixth Man of the Year voting.
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Westbrook's first 11 seasons as a member of the Oklahoma City Thunder quickly captivated the basketball world.
After a 2012 run to the NBA Finals headlined by fellow future Hall of Famer Kevin Durant (just 23 years old) and James Harden (22), the 23-year-old Westbrook put the basketball world on notice.
His explosive movements and creative playmaking got his scoring up to 31.6 points per game during the 2016-17 season, which was also his first season after the departure of Durant. Westbrook also averaged 10.4 assists and 10.7 rebounds per game on his way to the MVP after fourth-place finishes the two seasons prior.
Westbrook would go on to average a triple-double for the next two seasons, and completed the feat once again during the 2020-21 campaign. This was only done once before in NBA history, before Westbrook, as Oscar Robertson did so during the 1961-62 season.
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