Source: abc7.com
Russell Westbrook, the veteran point guard, has officially retired from professional basketball, citing the collapse of the NBA’s player interest protection system and the league’s financial policies as key reasons, according to his agent Jeff Schwartz. Schwartz explained that teams are reluctant to sign older veterans due to restrictions imposed by the current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), which he described as a failure of the league’s system.
“It’s unbelievable. The Los Angeles Lakers are being sold for $12 billion, yet teams refuse to spend money on aging veterans because of the existing CBA rules. Thanks, union,” Schwartz remarked.
Over an 18-year career, Westbrook earned nine NBA All-Star selections and was named league MVP in 2017. Last season, while playing for the Sacramento Kings, he averaged over 15 points per game. Despite this, no team showed interest in signing him during free agency, not even on a minimum salary contract, which ultimately led the 37-year-old to decide to retire from basketball.
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