When will Russell Westbrook make his debut for the Clippers?

Russell Westbrook is preparing to join the Clippers after a greeting to a buyout with the Utah Jazz. When will he make his debut with the Clippers?

Paul George and Kawhi Leonard had been publicly campaigning for the Clippers to sign Russell Westbrook as soon as he was traded to the Jazz and a buy-out seemed imminent. This week it was announced that everyone was on the same page and Westbrook planning to sign with the Clippers this week.

Exactly how Westbrook will fit is an open question. The Clippers acquired two guards at the trade deadline — Eric Gordon and Bones Hyland — both of whom have at least some value to offer with the ball in their hands. And while the Clippers shed both John Wall and Reggie Jackson, Terence Mann and Norman Powell have both spent minutes as nominal point guards with George and Leonard helping share initiation duties.

There’s a good chance he’ll play heavy minutes eventually, although the scenarios and exact rotations remain to be seen. When he is on the court, the Clippers will likely be looking for him to act as a facilitator as much as possible, making things easier for the deep roster of shooters and perimeter scorers around him.

When will Russell Westbrook play his first game for the Los Angeles Clippers?

Westbrook could make his debut as soon as Friday against the Sacramento Kings. However, it’s possible they may look to give him more practice time to get to know his new teammates and the new system. The Clippers have won 10 of their last 14 games so there isn’t necessarily a ton of urgency to get him on the floor as soon as possible.

The Clippers have one more game against the Lakers on the schedule — Apr. 5. This is the third-to-last game on the Clippers schedule and regardless of playoff positioning you can probably expect Westbrook to be in the lineup and looking for some revenge against his former team.

Check out The Step Back for more news, analysis, opinion and unique basketball coverage. Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter and Instagram and subscribe to our daily email newsletter, The Whiteboard.