Westbrook is determined to join the top four in his next team, but the Rockets favorite suddenly announces his retirement at the age of 32!

The NBA suddenly broke out two pieces of blockbuster news. On the one hand, Westbrook finally found a new home and avoided playing in the CBA. On the other hand, Brogdon, who was only 32 years old, suddenly announced his retirement. These two pieces of news made fans feel happy and worried, and there was a lot of discussion.

Let’s talk about Westbrook first. This veteran, who is about to start his 18th season, has made fans sweat this summer. On June 13, he rejected the Nuggets' player option worth more than $3.4 million. At that time, many people thought he was trying to pursue a big contract, but later they learned that was not the case at all. The main reason is that after the Nuggets changed management and coaches, the new coach clearly told him to reduce his playing time next season and to compress his ball rights. This was unacceptable to the extremely competitive Westbrook. Former NBA player Danny Green revealed that the Nuggets actually wanted Westbrook to be the boss of the locker room, but they did not allow him to play properly. Westbrook, who has a strong self-esteem, could not bear it, and simply jumped out of the contract without finding a new home.

After leaving the Nuggets, Westbrook's job search path was particularly bumpy. Seeing that the preseason has started, he has not signed with any team. There are even rumors on the Internet that the CBA team has offered him a contract with an annual salary of more than 10 million, and he only has to play more than 20 games. But Westbrook has always had an NBA dream in his heart and would rather wait than go to an overseas league. Fortunately, all good things came to pass, and the king finally extended an olive branch to him. Speaking of which, this signing is a bit of a coincidence. Kings forward Keegan Murray was injured in the preseason and will have to rest for 4 to 6 weeks. In addition, there is no one available in the backup backcourt. The rookie is too young to step up, so Westbrook is given a chance.

In fact, Westbrook is still capable. In the 2024-2025 season, Westbrook played for the Nuggets. He played 75 games in the regular season, including 36 starts. He averaged 27.9 minutes per game, contributing 13.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 1.4 steals, and 0.5 blocks. The field goal percentage was 44.9%, the three-point shooting percentage was 32.3%, and the free throw percentage was 66.1%, showing a stable contribution ability. In the playoffs, he played 13 games, averaging 24.1 minutes per game, scoring 11.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 2.6 assists. His shooting percentage dropped to 39.1% and his three-point shooting percentage dropped to 31.7%.

After joining the Kings, Westbrook has assembled the "Big Four" lineup. Sabonis, LaVine, and DeRozan on the team are all All-Star players. Although there is news that Westbrook may have to start as a substitute in the Kings, being able to partner with these powerful teammates is much better than playing without the ball. Last season, the Kings were still outside the top eight in the Western Conference. The point guard position has always been a shortcoming. Westbrook's organizational ability can just make up for this gap. In addition, Schroeder is in the backcourt. These two guards are enough for the team to rotate. The hope of making the playoffs in the new season is high. However, Westbrook needs to quickly adjust his condition. After all, his performance in the playoffs last season was not ideal. He averaged only 9.9 points per game in the Western Conference semifinals and shot only 34.8% from the field. He needs to perform better to gain a foothold.

As soon as good news came from Westbrook, Brogdon's retirement announcement on the other side caught people off guard. Only 32 years old, he signed a training camp contract with the Knicks last month. Everyone thought he could win a regular season spot. Unexpectedly, he suddenly announced his retirement through ESPN, ending his nine-year NBA career.

Brogdon's career is actually quite inspiring. He was only the 36th pick in the 2016 draft, but he managed to make a name for himself. Not only did he win the Rookie of the Year in 2017, he also became the Best Sixth Man in 2023. He averaged 15.3 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game in his career. He is definitely a powerful role player. Unfortunately, injuries have become his biggest enemy. Frequent injuries in recent years have not only affected his appearance rate, but his condition has also declined. This is probably an important reason why he chose to retire.

The most regrettable thing is undoubtedly the Rockets. Previously, the team had Van Jordan, and the need for Brogdon was not that urgent. However, Van Jordan was suddenly reimbursed for the season recently. The Rockets are in need of a guard who can put out the fire. Brogdon was originally the perfect candidate, and there have been rumors that the Rockets are pursuing him. If Brogdon hadn't signed a training camp contract with the Knicks, the Rockets might still be able to fight for it and help the team tide over the difficulties. But now it's too late. It's a pity that this guard in his prime has bid farewell to the NBA completely.

Two major pieces of news in one day stirred up the emotions of NBA fans. Westbrook's dream of sticking to the NBA has finally come true, and the Kings' strength has also been strengthened, which is something to be happy about. However, Brogdon's premature retirement due to injury not only deprived the Rockets of strong support, but also deprived the league of a solid and capable player, which is really sad. No matter what, Westbrook's 18th season is worth looking forward to, and Brogdon's choice should also be respected. After all, professional players have never been able to control their bodies and choices. The new season hasn't even started yet, but there are already so many stories. It seems that there will be more to watch in the next NBA season.