Russell Westbrook remains one of the biggest names available in free agency, and a return to the Houston Rockets has emerged as a logical possibility as the veteran guard continues to search for an NBA roster spot.
Sports Illustrated’s Jay Santos reported on July 24 that Houston should consider pursuing Westbrook to strengthen its backcourt depth behind Fred VanVleet, who is returning from a season-ending ACL injury. While the Rockets have reshaped their roster around Kevin Durant and a young core led by Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson, adding an experienced playmaker on a veteran minimum contract could provide valuable insurance for a team firmly in championship mode.
Westbrook is no stranger to Houston. He spent the 2019-20 season with the Rockets after arriving in a blockbuster trade from the Oklahoma City Thunder, averaging 27.2 points, 7.9 rebounds and 7.0 assists while helping Houston reach the Western Conference semifinals alongside James Harden.
Since leaving the Rockets, Westbrook has played for the Washington Wizards, Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, Denver Nuggets and Sacramento Kings. Despite changing teams frequently during the latter stages of his career, he has remained a productive contributor.
The 37-year-old appeared in 64 games for Sacramento during the 2025-26 season, making 58 starts while averaging 15.2 points, 5.4 rebounds and 6.7 assists in 29.0 minutes per game. He shot 42.7% from the field and connected on 33.8% of his three-point attempts, his highest three-point percentage since the 2022-23 campaign.
Westbrook also continued to impact games as a facilitator. His 34.3% assist percentage ranked 11th in the NBA last season, highlighting that he remains capable of creating offense despite no longer serving as a team’s primary star.
Houston’s roster already features multiple ball-handlers, including Thompson, who averaged 18.3 points, 7.8 rebounds and 5.3 assists last season, and Durant, who posted 26.0 points while shooting 41.3% from three. Sengun added another playmaking dimension from the center position, averaging 20.4 points, 8.9 rebounds and 6.2 assists during his second straight All-Star campaign.
The Rockets finished 52-30 last season, earning the fifth seed in the Western Conference before losing to the Lakers in six games in the first round. Their offseason acquisition of Durant signaled a clear shift toward immediate title contention, making experienced depth an important priority.
Houston also added second-round guard Bruce Thornton in the 2026 NBA Draft, but the rookie is unlikely to carry significant responsibilities immediately on a veteran contender. Westbrook’s experience could allow Udoka to manage VanVleet’s workload while providing another proven creator for the second unit.
There are, however, questions surrounding Westbrook’s market. According to Evan Sidery, the nine-time All-Star has drawn strong interest from EuroLeague clubs as NBA opportunities have become increasingly scarce. While Westbrook reportedly prefers to remain in the NBA, his options have narrowed as training camp approaches.
A reunion with Houston would also reunite Westbrook with Durant for the first time since their Oklahoma City partnership ended in 2016. Although reports over the years suggested tension following Durant’s departure to Golden State, both players have since built long careers on different paths, making a professional reunion far more plausible than it once seemed.
