Count Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer among the NBA analysts who believe the Lakers should be feeling some urgency to find a trade involving Russell Westbrook sooner rather than later. O’Connor opens his latest article by dubbing the former MVP a “washed-up bricklayer,” contending that the Lakers need to trade him immediately to have any chance of salvaging their season.
[RELATED: Woj: Don’t expect any Lakers trades before Thanksgiving]
While the much-discussed Pacers package of Myles Turner and Buddy Hield could certainly be one the Lakers revisit if and when they reengage in trade talks, O’Connor points to the Jazz a potential trade partner to watch.
League sources tell The Ringer that before Bojan Bogdanovic was traded to Detroit, the Lakers offered Westbrook, a future first-round pick, and second-rounders to Utah in exchange for Bogdanovic and others. O’Connor adds that sources expect the two teams to reopen their trade discussions at some point, since the Jazz still have veterans who could help the Lakers, such as Jordan Clarkson, Mike Conley, and/or Rudy Gay.
As O’Connor notes, the Hornets were viewed back in the spring as a possible trade partner for the Lakers and Westbrook, but that was when Charlotte was preparing to make a lucrative offer to Miles Bridges and was motivated to move off some multiyear salary. With Bridges’ NBA future up in the air due to domestic violence allegations, dumping long-term salary may no longer be a priority for the Hornets.
Here’s more on the Lakers and Westbrook:
- The Lakers’ offense lost its rhythm late in Sunday’s loss to Portland when Westbrook checked back into the game, according to Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report and Jovan Buha of The Athletic, who both argue that the team needs to seriously consider taking the point guard out of its closing lineup going forward.
- Westbrook was pulled for the final few possessions on Sunday, shortly after he took an ill-advised jumper early in the shot clock with the Lakers up by a point and just under 30 seconds left in the game. After the game, head coach Darvin Ham said he isn’t worried about how Westbrook will respond to being benched for the game’s final 12 seconds. “We don’t have time for feelings or people being in their feelings. Like, we’re trying to turn this thing around,” Ham said, per ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. “For one person to be in their feelings about when and where and how they should be in the game, I don’t have any time for that.”
- Anthony Davis was “visibly frustrated” after Sunday’s loss, according to McMenamin. “There’s no way we’re supposed to lose this game,” Davis said. “That’s where my frustration comes from.”
- The Lakers’ three-point shooting remained an issue on Sunday, as Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times writes in his takeaways from the game. The club’s 6-of-33 (18.2%) mark from beyond the arc on Sunday was its worst single-game rate yet. Through three games, the Lakers’ 21.2% three-point percentage is easily the worst in the NBA — Chicago is second-worst at 29.3%.
The bright side for this Lakers team is that AD is looking better than last season and overall the defensive intensity is miles away better than last season. If they send RW home they will be instantly better, not only he is shooting horrible but his presence on court hurts the offense of the rest of his teammates. Teams are letting him wide wide open and clugging the paint or floating to double LBJ quickly.
I absolutely agree with you. I’m just not trading unprotected picks in 2027 and 2029 for role players. I’m not doing it.
I’ll waive Russell Westbrook and continue to pay him to be gone. He doesn’t fit at all. It will be addition by subtraction.
He’s too selfish and stubborn to accept the 6th man role.
It’s not about when, but who?
Who trades for him?
Tanking teams who don’t mind turmoil…
Or OKC…
RW will not play if he is traded, so basically a team that wants to tank/free cap space.
I can’t imagine a team that’s willing to play him and deal with all the drama around him, he doesn’t look like a good veteran to have around young players IMO.
I truly believe that, despite his bad basketball IQ, he purposely took that shot, knowing it was a horrible shot, to try to expedite his way outta there. Wouldn’t be surprised if he missed it on purpose – it was such a point blank shot.
But, I do think he had ulterior intentions by simply taking that shot, at that time, score, and (shot) clock.
Makes sense. Westbrook obviously DGAF at this point.
Exactly! He doesn’t care about winning, He only cares about triple doubles and being the main man.
Gardo you’d be golden if this were baseball where one out of three ain’t bad. I promise you he cares about winning and in the past that meant he was the main man and he happens to get a triple/double along the way, well that’s gravy.
You absolutely right about that. He’s not a championship caliber player. Then he’s too selfish and stubborn to be around young guys. I wish him the best because he used to be one of my favorite players.
OKC doesn’t have the cap space. They just got under the tax with that Houston trade/dump. RW makes no sense to come back to a team trying to tank while developing its young talent.
At this point lakers need anything to help improve. The jazz with no stars are 3-0 and lakers with lebron and ad are 0-3 how sad is that . They could be 2-1 if they had better shooting
Are the Lakers even winning 25 games this year?
If the front office doesn’t trade RW or send him home, they are confirming that they wanna tank for Viktor W. hahahaha
They can’t. The Lakers can’t tank for Wemby as the Pels have their pick.
I was joking, but yes i forgot about that, Thanks
At this point, Russ has to be trolling the lakers. How does one drop this hard off the skill cliff so quickly. He knows they dont want him so why would he not do everything he can to get traded.
It’s amazing how much press this issue gets. Lakers aren’t going anywhere this year either way, so who really cares?
They should hang onto their picks and play the year out.
What picks? Their 2023 pick is going to New Orleans, so if they keep playing bad they’re going to give their competition an even higher draft pick. That’s dumb. And the Lakers are historic franchise with a long history of winning and great players. They’re not ever going to stop getting attention.
If you dont know what picks you haven’t been paying attention to the 5 articles a day on this subject
Just send Westbrick home. Why is this clown the center of attention on an already sh***y team
Lakers got a jump start on tanking…go with it. LBJ bricked an early shot clock three in the 4th when that were leading but nobody is roasting him for a poor decision. I can’t believe I’m saying this but if they shoot 25% from the they win the game.
Only one person in the history of the nba game has scored more points than LeBron. He has several more “bad shots” to attempt before I’ll start calling him out on one.
We’re talking one end of the basketball IQ spectrum to the other when talking about LeBron and Westbrook.
Nobody wants Westbrook. He’s a negative player. Only way lakers get rid of him is to attach the 2 draft picks to him and they’ve already shown they won’t do that. It’ll take GM Lebron to make it happen
Props to Ham for keeping it real. Nobody has time for feelings what a true statement in the world of sports
Lakers are so lucky teams will want to tank this year. Someone will take Westbrick for that alone. Utah might do it by Friday at this rate
Westbrook’s neuroses are blatantly corrosive, but AD stating “There’s no way we’re supposed to lose this game,” reveals his own unhelpful arrogance: on balance, Portland’s rotation isn’t inferior to what Pelinka has put together.
You’re always reaching. In no way does that insinuate that AD said the Blazers are an inferior team. He’s just saying they were ahead late in the game and they blew it.
Send him home
Lakers can’t win with Westbrook
Home is where the heart is… and it’s not with the Lakers
I mean no disrespect to any old vets out there, but this is why you don’t give large contracts to veterans and/or lengthy one. It backfired with John Wall, CP3, Westbrook, and many others. Their best days are behind them and should be focused on passing the torch onto the upcoming talents. Play those minutes from the bench and teaching this 18-21 year olds a thing or two on a reasonable contract. 14+ million a year on aging star, does complicate things when they have no value to the club anymore. His veteran ship could help many young teams like the Nuggets, Rockets, Pistons, and Cavs as examples. But not at 8 figures that these guys want.
More to it, even Shaq knew when to take a lesser deal and come from the bench when he got older. When the time came, he passed the torch and played bench role minutes. It helped the heat without running him out on the court for 30+ minutes a game. It kept him fresh and less fatigue throughout the season. These vets now just want that pay day
The same lessons do not seem to be learned or acceptable regarding the Lakers. The articles linked , keep kicking a dead horse that pretty much everyone agrees.
He is better as a reserve. True.
He is even better not playing at all.
My take is, that the Lakers ownership or / FO do not want to take a dead loss for Westbrook. They interview coaches to try to find ones who will try and make Westbrook “their baby”, to fix him, or to make the system work.
When it doesn’t work, ownership can lay it back on the coach, saying its their mess now.
The multitude of constant media reports that tell us about Westbrook playing less, is more about their
hopes to identity the issue (but possibly powerless to change it much)
While also trying to persuade “others” that its the right thing to do. And maybe warn Westbrook also?
I am leaning on many personal negative experiences from dealing with owners and execs, so I am biased.
There really is so much dysfunction in the entire Westbrook scenario. I cant see other scenarios where it is not an internal power struggle. Change is needed. Problem is identified. Problem talked about daily. Yet nothing at all occurs. Does someone not want to get back what they deem as a loss for him?
Who there thinks his actual play be fixed? Who thinks his role on the team and mindset can still be fixed? Who believes he can be traded and not be a distraction or a net loss on the receiving team?
What executives would honestly rationally welcome him to their bad but growing team and possibly poison the well and be a constant issue? Who really believes he still has value where it does not include attaching high draft assets to get him gone? If someone on the inside knows the answers to these questions, maybe it will lead to more truths.