​League sources tell The Stein Line that Washington made a two-year offer to bring Russell Westbrook back to the nation’s capital. Sources say Westbrook — not the team — is the party that ended those talks. The 37-year-old apparently balked at the specific terms of the offer and/or the role presented and has decided to stop playing instead.marcstein.substack.comMore on Russell Westbrook: Recent HoopsHype RumorsLeague sources tell The Stein Line that Washington made a two-year offer to bring Russell Westbrook back to the nation’s capital. Sources say Westbrook — not the team — is the party that ended those talks. The 37-year-old apparently balked at the specific terms of the offer and/or the role presented and has decided to stop playing instead. — 8/17/2026 marcstein.substack.comRussell Westbrook announced his retirement from professional basketball after a remarkable 18-year career, but his name was recently brought up by many Pinoy fans as a potential replacement for former NBA player DeQuan Jones, who suffered a gut-wrenching leg injury while playing as an import for the NLEX Road Warriors in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). However, despite his significant ties to Westbrook after spending the 2025-26 season with the future Hall of Famer on the Sacramento Kings as a player development coach, Road Warriors head coach Jimmy Alapag dismissed the possibility of the former NBA star joining his squad and the Filipino league. “Unfortunately, Russ is not on our short list,” Alapag said, via Spin.ph. “Maybe he will come visit, but no stints in the PBA.” — 8/17/2026 BasketNewsSerge Ibaka: What a blessing it has been to share a big part of my career with you!! Drafted on the same night by the same team in 2008… time flies. I learned so much from you and had so much fun playing with you. One of the best competitors ever and one of the best teammates I ever had. I wish everyone had the chance to know you up close like I did. Congrats on an incredible career @russwest44 — 8/14/2026 x.comNBACentral: Austin Rivers calls out the media and NBA fans for failing to appreciate Russell Westbrook during his career, and predicts James Harden, Devin Booker, and Donovan Mitchell won’t get their proper respect until they’re gone (h/t @big_business_) — 8/14/2026 x.comThe Draymond Green Show: Draymond responds to the reaction to Russell Westbrook’s retirement. “Basketball fans suck, because for the last 8 to 10 years, all this guy has heard is how bad he sucks, how he don’t shoot it well, how he stat padding, how he mess up teams, ‘Westbrick’… and the moment he stepped aside, ‘ahh man, y’all did Russ wrong, can’t tell me he couldn’t be on a team’… Why is it that he has to announce his retirement unexpectedly to finally see the love that he deserves?” — 8/14/2026 x.comDraymond Green on fan reaction to Russell Westbrook retiring: Basketball fans suck. And by the way, I am a basketball fan, so you can thr