At one point during his time with the purple and gold, it looked like Westbrook could find himself out of the league, mirroring Carmelo Anthony.

Instead, he wound up with the Los Angeles Clippers, where his career has essentially been rejuvenated.

What has been key to Westbrook’s rise to success with the Clippers? He addressed that this week.

Russell Westbrook: “I’ve been a Point Guard since I’ve been in this league, and I always will be. I would say I’m pretty good at that position… I’m grateful that Paul and Kawhi allow me to play my position.”

Cooked LeBron and AD pic.twitter.com/LtTTH17yUA

— Beastbrook (@Beastbr00k0) November 1, 2023

“I’ve been a point guard since I’ve been in this league, and I always will be,” Westbrook told the Athletic’s Law Murray. “I would say I’m pretty good at that position… I’m grateful that Paul [George] and Kawhi [Leonard] allow me to play my position.”

Because LeBron James is arguably the most intelligent playmaker of his generation, a lot of ball-handling responsibilities inevitably fell to him. That left Westbrook off in the corner jacking up bad shots.

The combination of James’s style, Anthony Davis’s style, Westbrook’s style and the Lakers’ general way of doing things simply didn’t mesh. Clearly.

After Westbrook was sent packing, Davis took a pretty clear shot at him. James’s comments on their time together ending spoke for themselves. It was an ugly divorce all the way around.

So far, Westbrook’s time with the Clippers seems to be going much more smoothly.

That being said, the season is still young. Honeymoon periods end – and what remains is what you have to deal with going forward.

Will Westbrook still be as high on his partnership with the Clippers in a few months from now? Time will tell.