Russell Westbrook appeared to close the book on an 18-year NBA career last month. Yet former NBA players are already questioning whether the final chapter has actually been written. The latest conversation began on the Out the Mud podcast, where Patrick Beverley argued that the former MVP should have another three or four years in the league and compared him to a “small version of LeBron James.” The discussion then shifted toward a potential destination, with Beverley and Zach Randolph suggesting Miami as a possible fit.

“I’d like to see him down there in with the Heat with Young. That’ll be a nice fit,” Randolph said before mentioning that he had recently spoken with Westbrook’s younger brother, Ray.

“I just saw his little brother yesterday, right? I got a chance to highlight him, man. So, he got a lot left. He might be back. We don’t know. He might be back.”

That final possibility changed the tone of the conversation. 

Russell Westbrook officially announced his retirement in August after 18 seasons, leaving the NBA as its all-time leader in triple-doubles, a nine-time All-Star, and the 2017 MVP. He finished his final NBA season with Sacramento, averaging 15.2 points and 6.7 assists in 64 games.

Randolph’s comments do not establish that Westbrook is planning a comeback. They do, however, show that people who know him believe there may still be enough basketball left to make one possible.

That said, a public retirement announcement is separate from the NBA’s formal Voluntarily Retired List process, which requires written notification to the Commissioner from both the player and the team with which he is under contract. But if the league places a player on that list, league rules prevent him from playing in NBA games for one year unless the Board of Governors unanimously approves an earlier return. 

If Westbrook were formally placed on the Voluntarily Retired List, a comeback would involve more than simply deciding he wanted to play again. But history shows that veteran players can step away and later return. Rasheed Wallace retired after the 2009-10 season with Boston before returning to the NBA for the Knicks in 2012 at age 38.

Westbrook’s decision to walk away happened while he reportedly had real offers on the table, including one from the Kings and another from the Wizards. Sacramento was looking at him as a depth piece rather than a starter, while Washington, still chasing its first playoff berth since 2021, wasn’t exactly close to contending either.

If Westbrook’s price for lacing up again was a genuine role on a team with title aspirations, neither situation fit the bill. That’s probably why he chose to walk away on his own terms instead of settling.

A reunion in Houston is one of the other talked-about “what ifs.” But the Rockets’ backcourt is already stacked, with Fred VanVleet, Amen Thompson, Marcus Smart, Reed Sheppard and Bruce Thornton all fighting for minutes. Westbrook could theoretically slot in there, but it’s hard to argue Houston is his best fit.

Miami, like Bev and Randolph said, looks like a stronger match on paper. The Heat are trying to contend in the East, and their point guard spot isn’t fully settled.

But for now, Westbrook’s spending his time playing pickup on a yacht with CP3, not a bad way to spend retirement. Between that, his business interests, and gearing up for his jersey retirement ceremony in Oklahoma City, he’s also signed on as co-founder and chief strategy officer of a new basketball venture called Project B.

Randolph’s comments simply reopened a door that many assumed shut for good.