Jalen Rose "Not Surprised" That Russell Westbrook Did Not Want To Play For The Clippers

Mark Medina

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9x All-Star Russell Westbrook has been on four different teams over the past four years, a fact nobody would have imagined being true during his heyday with the Thunder.

As he prepares to represent the Purple and Gold on the court for the first time, there is a feeling he has finally landed in a more permanent home.

Indeed, Russ couldn't be happier with the Lakers and, as it turned out, he turned down an opportunity with the Clippers to join them.

It's a claim that does not surprise ESPN's Jalen Rose in the slightest.

"Because he grew up a long-time Lakers fan, Magic fan, Kobe fan, bleeding the Purple and Gold. And it's like 'if I get a chance to go play in Cali, I don't even want it to be for the Warriors or the Kings. Definitely not the Clippers, the team that was formerly owned by one Donald Sterling.' So I am not surprised that he mentioned this to Tommy Sheppard."

Besides Wetsbrook's history of being a Lakers fan, he has already played with Paul George, who he'd be re-joining with the Clippers. Perhaps, Roose suggested, he wants to try something completely new.

"Many of the elite players currently in the game, he's already played with them at some point in his career. He played with Harden and KD, now you get to play with LeBron and AD.

Bradley Beal, Paul George. Maybe Russ is thinking, 'I tried that in OKC, we didn't necessarily get it done. He left me and usurped my thought to go home and actually went and joined Kawhi with the Clippers. And now two teams later, I now have to find my way full circle back in California. It's going to be some great theatre happening between the Lakers and Clippers."

Playing with LeBron James sounds like an instant ticket to success, but it's going to be a huge adjustment for everybody -- especially Westbrook.

To ask for such a change at this stage of his career is asking for a lot, but it might just pay off in the end. If not, he might end up wishing he joined the Clippers after all...