Russell Westbrook bids farewell to Houston Rockets, thanks fans after trade to Wizards

On Thursday, nine-time NBA All-Star Russell Westbrook took to Twitter to bid his farewell to the Houston Rockets and thanked the fans for all their support during his one year sojourn at the Western Conference outfit. On Wednesday, reports claimed that Westbrook was set to join the Wizards while John Wall would be traded to the Rockets. It is believed that both players wanted the deal to go through as they had been simmering for weeks. 

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Russell Westbrook farewell: NBA star's message to Houston Rockets

Just hours after his trade to the Washington Wizards was confirmed, Russell Westbrook took to social media to thank the Rockets for everything they've done for him. The 32-year-old guard wrote, "I would like to thank the fans and city of Houston for embracing me and my family. I'd like to thank everyone at the Rockets organization for believing in me and making my time in the city a great experience. Wish you all the best of luck"

He then added, "I'm now looking forward to my next chapter with the Washington Wizards and getting back on the court". Westbrook joined the Rockets in 2019 and was the most recent player who struggled to harmonize with superstar James Harden.

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James Harden and Westbrook struggled to link-up at Houston

After Dwight Howard and Chris Paul proved to be poor fits at the Rockets, the Western Conference outfit felt that Harden and Westbrook's existing friendship would have made for a more lasting dynamic in Houston, while keeping them in the hunt for the NBA title. However, the Rockets lost to eventual NBA champions, Lakers in the second round of the playoffs in five games. 

Westbrook averaged 27.2 points, 7.9 rebounds and 7.0 assists per game, despite getting off to a slow start while recovering from knee surgery and adapting to a new franchise following an 11-year tenure in Oklahoma City.

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Only two months after the Rockets' season came to a disappointing end, Westbrook reportedly handed in his trade request. It was also reported that Harden put in his trade request, with sources claiming that eight-time NBA All-Star still prefers a move to the Brooklyn Nets. However, with Westbrook already having left the Rockets, it's unlikely that the team would allow Harden to depart as well. 

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Image Credits - AP