James Harden and Rockets wish Russell Westbrook an awkward happy birthday

Happy Birthday Brodie! As a present, maybe he can get traded out of Houston?

On Wednesday it was reported by Shams Charania that Westbrook wanted off the Houston Rockets. There was a major disconnect between he and the front office, and Westbrook wasn’t thrilled with his usage rate. Westbrook is being shopped to the likes of the Charlotte Hornets and New York Knicks, but such moves would essentially be a salary dump for the Rockets, who’d rather get Russ’s contract off the books if they’re going to be held hostage for such a move.

Well, Thursday is Westbrook’s 32nd birthday, and the Rockets opted to celebrate it.

The replies are eerie, but the Rockets social media team was left with little choice. Ignore Westbrook’s birthday, and it becomes an obvious slight. Acknowledge the star point guard, and NBA Twitter drags them for it. The latter has less real-life consequences.

James Harden also wished his teammate a Happy Birthday

Harden and Westbrook appear to have little to no beef, as both aren’t thrilled with the direction of the franchise. Harden is the face of the team, though, with Westbrook on the team or not. That’s the major distinction, and it’s why Harden would be willing to remain and clear out the rubble should Westbrook and others be dealt.

Awkward or not, Westbrook is well-respected around the league. His contract is an albatross, which limits how much he can truly impact a winning team. Sadly, even in Houston, they can only surround Harden and Westbrook with a limited amount of talent due to financial constraints, hence management’s decision to look elsewhere.

Happy Birthday, though.