Russell Westbrook Rumors | Hoops Rumors

LeBron, Westbrook, AD Vow To Stay On Same Page

July 18th, 2022 at 5:45pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Lakers stars LeBron James, Russell Westbrook and Anthony Davis renewed their commitment to one another and their goal to win a championship together in a phone conversation during the first weekend of the Las Vegas Summer League, Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports reports.

The conversation was organized to make sure all three were on the same page as long as they’re still wearing the Lakers uniform. Eyebrows were raised when James and Westbrook seemingly ignored each other during the Laker’s first Summer League contest.

Westbrook, who opted in for final year of his contract at a $47MM pricetag, has never requested a trade from the Lakers, according to Haynes’ sources.

Westbrook’s name has remained in the rumor mill this summer, particular as a potential trade piece for Nets guard Kyrie Irving. The trade chatter has seemingly intensified since Westbrook and his longtime agent parted ways last week.

Lakers Rumors: Irving, Trade Targets, Westbrook

July 18th, 2022 at 2:50pm CST by Luke Adams

It remains to be seen whether or not the Lakers will be able to work out a trade with the Nets for Kyrie Irving, but Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN believes L.A. has at least one more major roster move up its sleeve this offseason, as he stated on Monday during the network’s latest episode of Get Up (video link).

“I think the Lakers will make a deal. Maybe more than one deal,” Wojnarowski said. “It may not be for Kyrie Irving, it may not be for an All-NBA player, an All-Star. But players like Eric Gordon in Houston, Buddy Hield in Indiana, players like Patrick Beverley, who came to the Jazz in a trade from Minnesota, who are role players are winning teams. What is the price for those kind of moves? I think they’re going to continue to be active on all those things.”

As Wojnarowski explains, the Lakers aren’t eager to part with all of their most valuable trade assets for modest short-term upgrades, but they still feel the need to add more talent to the roster to take advantage of LeBron James‘ remaining prime years.

“When LeBron’s putting pressure on the front office, on the organization, teams are asking for a lot to do a deal with the Lakers,” Wojnarowski said. “Rob Pelinka‘s trying to keep from trading the 2027, 2029 unprotected first-round picks that obviously LeBron James doesn’t value greatly because he may not be around. He wants to win now. That’s the balance of being in the front office vs. having to serve the fact that you’ve got LeBron James still playing at an incredibly high level at an age we’ve never seen a player play at that level.”

Here’s more on the Lakers:

A potential trade sending Irving to the Lakers is “not completely dead,” per Wojnarowski, but such a deal still hinges in large part on what the Nets do with Kevin Durant. “The Nets are more focused on trying to find a deal for KD before they would even move Kyrie Irving,” Woj said. “I think there’s a good chance that Kyrie Irving is back in Brooklyn to start the season if Kevin Durant is back in Brooklyn.”
Russell Westbrook‘s public split with his longtime agent doesn’t bode well for the former MVP’s relationship with the Lakers, according to Jovan Buha of The Athletic, who says that dynamic between Westbrook and the team is becoming “more untenable with each passing week.” League sources tell Buha that the divorce between Westbrook and agent Thad Foucher caught several people around the Lakers by surprise.
Foucher’s statement, which hinted that Westbrook is seeking another change of scenery, may further hurt the Lakers’ leverage in trade talks, Buha writes. Multiple league sources tell The Athletic that potential trade partners are already asking for at least L.A.’s 2027 or 2029 first-round pick in order to take on Westbrook’s pricey expiring contract.
Marc Stein says in his latest Substack article that the Knicks and Jazz are viewed by some people around the league as possible landing spots for Westbrook if the two teams complete a Donovan Mitchell trade. Stein explains that the Knicks may be more inclined to trade away Julius Randle and his long-term contract for a big expiring deal like Westbrook’s in that scenario, though it strikes me as a long shot that New York and L.A. would be able to find a mutually beneficial swap involving those two players.

Russell Westbrook, Agent Part Ways

July 15th, 2022 at 10:38pm CST by Rory Maher

10:38pm: Multiple sources tell Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times (Twitter link) that Westbrook has never asked the Lakers to trade him, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he wouldn’t prefer a new destination, as Foucher implied, or that he has a choice in the matter, because the Lakers might want to move him either way.

10:00pm: Lakers guard Russell Westbrook will be looking for new representation, as his longtime agent Thad Foucher tells ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski that the pair have parted ways due to “irreconcilable differences.”

According to Wojnarowski, Foucher has represented Westbrook since he turned pro and was the No. 4 pick of the 2008 draft. Foucher said the two have a difference of opinion on the approach to take going forward.

“Now, with a possibility of a fourth trade in four years, the marketplace is telling the Lakers they must add additional value with Russell in any trade scenario. And even then, such a trade may require Russell to immediately move on from the new team via buyout.

“My belief is that this type of transaction only serves to diminish Russell’s value and his best option is to stay with the Lakers, embrace the starting role and support that (head coach) Darvin Ham publicly offered. Russell is a first-ballot Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame player and will prove that again before he is retired.

“Unfortunately, irreconcilable differences exist as to his best pathway forward and we are no longer working together. I wish Russell and his family the very best,” Foucher said as part of a larger statement.

Westbrook has been the subject of frequent trade rumors in his rocky tenure with the Lakers, and based on Foucher’s statement, it sounds like the former MVP might be ready for a new team, but obviously Foucher thought it was best to remain in L.A. to try and rebuild his value.

The 33-year-old appeared in 78 games (34.3 MPG) with the Lakers in 2021/22, averaging 18.5 PPG, 7.4 RPG and 7.1 APG on .444/.298/.667 shooting. He was heavily scrutinized by the media and fans due to his shot selection, poor defense and lack of accountability, as he blamed former coach Frank Vogel for some of his issues.

Latest On Kyrie Irving

July 13th, 2022 at 9:34am CST by Luke Adams

Although a couple other teams were briefly linked to Nets guard Kyrie Irving since free agency began, his trade market appears to be “Lakers or bust,” according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. With Irving apparently generating little interest as a trade chip, both he and the Nets are sending out signals that they’re willing to continue their relationship.

Appearing on ESPN’s Get Up on Wednesday (video link), Brian Windhorst said the “vibe” coming out of Brooklyn is that the Nets are comfortable entering the fall with both Irving and Kevin Durant still on their roster.

“This could be a negotiating position, or it could be a smart decision if you don’t like the trade offers that you have,” Windhorst said. “The market for Durant has not been as lucrative as the Nets were hoping, and the market for Kyrie is very thin. It’s essentially the Lakers and the trade offer isn’t great. If you don’t like what you have, do you just sort of close ranks and look at restarting it?”

Meanwhile, a source close to Irving tells Brian Lewis of The New York Post that Irving hasn’t asked to be traded and has “every intention” of playing for the Nets in 2022/23.

“How did we get into this situation about (a) trade, when he opted in?” Lewis’ source said. “Here is the situation: He opted in, which means he had and he has every intention of playing with the Brooklyn Nets. KD decides he wants out and now everybody is talking about trading Kyrie, right?

“Kyrie has not asked for a trade. Now, if the Nets don’t want him, that’s something totally different. Kyrie has not said he wants a trade. He opted in. (So where did) the trade conversations come from? Is it because, KD requested a trade and now everybody’s like, ‘Let’s trade Ky?’ Kyrie opted in.”

It’s true that there has been no indication Irving has explicitly requested a trade like Durant has, but it’s still hard to take the source’s comments at face value.

Reporting from several outlets in June indicated that Irving was seriously exploring other destinations and only opted into his contract with the Nets after it became clear that none of the teams on his wish list were prepared to make him a lucrative, long-term offer in free agency. Since then, multiple reports have suggested Kyrie would like to end up with the Lakers.

Still, even if the comments from Lewis’ source are an attempt by Irving to save face and win the PR battle, the fact that the All-Star guard is apparently open to spending 2022/23 in Brooklyn is good news for the team. It means the Nets shouldn’t feel any pressure to accept the Lakers’ best offer for Irving if it falls short of their asking price.

Here’s more on Irving:

The Lakers don’t want to give up multiple first-round picks to trade Russell Westbrook, league sources tell Scotto. The belief, as Lewis writes, is that the Nets are seeking two first-rounders from L.A. (2027 and 2029) in any swap involving Westbrook and Irving.
One member of the Mavericks organization believes Irving would want to play for Dallas head coach Jason Kidd, whom he idolized growing up, according to Scotto. However, Scotto confirms that the Mavs don’t appear to have any real interest in trading for Kyrie, as Bleacher Report and the Dallas Morning News previously reported.
Rival executives and league insiders are “split” on whether the Lakers will be able to pull off a deal for Irving, writes Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times. Many of those insiders believe any L.A. trade for Kyrie will be on hold until the Nets resolve Durant’s trade request, according to Woike, who wonders if the team could pivot to other targets like Buddy Hield or Eric Gordon instead of waiting on Irving.

Lakers Notes: Ham, James, Westbrook, Pippen Jr., Pacers, Davis

July 9th, 2022 at 9:25am CST by Dana Gauruder

New Lakers coach Darvin Ham declared his “love’ for the current roster during halftime of the team’s 104-84 summer league loss to the Suns, Dave McMenamin of ESPN writes. Rumors persist that Kyrie Irving‘s most likely destination if he’s traded is Los Angeles.

“We love everyone on our roster,” Ham said. “And until you’re not on our roster, you’re ours and we’re going to try to get better with the group that we have. That’s just the bottom line of it. I don’t know a player that’s come through this league in my 26 years that hasn’t had their name part of a trade rumor a time or two.”

We have more on the Lakers:

Russell Westbrook offered some ball-handling advice to rookie Scotty Pippen Jr., who signed a two-way contract . Pippen had a team-high 19 points but also five turnovers. “He gave me some pointers and I ended up using them,” Pippen said.
Westbrook and LeBron James didn’t exactly act like bosom buddies while watching the game, Kyle Goon of the Orange County Register notes. They sat in opposite corners of the Thomas & Mack Center and made no public acknowledgment of one another before Westbrook left the exhibition at halftime.
GM Rob Pelinka foreshadowed at least one big move to come while speaking on the NBA TV broadcast, Goon relays. “We’re not done,” Pelinka said. “We still have more work to do.” The Lakers have an open roster spot.
The Lakers tried in vain to engineer a multi-player trade with the Pacers, McMenamin said on ESPN (video link). McMenamin said “those talks basically went nowhere” because the Lakers’ offer wasn’t strong enough. McMenamin didn’t elaborate on what players were discussed, though it’s fair to speculate they might have either been targeting Myles Turner or Buddy Hield, who nearly got dealt to the Lakers last offseason.
In a wide ranging interview with Andscape’s Marc J. Spears, Ham hinted that Anthony Davis is the key to the team’s success. “With AD, I would say he’s the biggest factor,” Ham said. “I’m looking forward to him having a huge year this year. I know the way we’re going to play is going to benefit him. The way I’m going to take care of him, make sure we take care of him, it’s going to benefit him.”

Lakers, Nets Explore Involving Spurs In Westbrook/Irving Talks?

July 8th, 2022 at 9:23am CST by Luke Adams

The Lakers and Nets are exploring the possibility of getting the Spurs involved in a multi-team trade that would feature Russell Westbrook and Kyrie Irving, sources tell Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report.

Los Angeles and Brooklyn don’t appear to be on the verge of finalizing any deal involving Westbrook and Irving, with their discussions to date being characterized as “preliminary.” Irving reportedly wants to play for the Lakers, but the Nets don’t seem to have much interest in taking back Westbrook’s pricier expiring contract, even with draft assets attached, leading to speculation that a third team will have to be included.

The Spurs are the obvious choice to be that third team because they have about $30-35MM in projected cap room remaining. That doesn’t give them enough space to absorb Westbrook’s $47MM salary outright, but they could potentially get there by sending out Doug McDermott ($13.75MM) or Josh Richardson ($12.2MM), as Pincus observes.

In a scenario where Irving heads to L.A. and Westbrook goes to San Antonio, any sweeteners (ie. future draft picks) the Lakers would have sent to Brooklyn would presumably be re-routed to the Spurs as an incentive for taking on Westbrook’s unwanted contract.

While the structure of such a deal makes some sense, three-team deals are never easy to negotiate and this one would be especially complicated.

The Nets may want to resolve Kevin Durant‘s trade request before making a move with Irving, and don’t appear eager to rush into a deal involving either player.

The Lakers look like Irving’s only legitimate suitor for the time being, so they don’t want to overpay for him, especially since he’s on an expiring contract of his own. But they could feel some pressure to make a move if star forward LeBron James, who becomes extension-eligible next month, is pushing for it.

The Spurs, meanwhile, will probably have other opportunities to use their cap room to acquire draft assets from teams looking to shed salary, so they’ll have to consider all their options.

Appearing today on ESPN’s Get Up (video link), Brian Windhorst said he believes a deal sending Irving to the Lakers will “eventually” get done, but said it’s probably going to be “a fight along the way.”

Fischer’s Latest: Ayton, Durant, S. Barnes, Kyrie

July 6th, 2022 at 10:16am CST by Luke Adams

Deandre Ayton appears to have been the free agent most directly affected by the ongoing Kevin Durant sweepstakes, writes Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report.

As Fischer outlines, Ayton’s restricted free agency has been stalled in part because he could theoretically be an outgoing piece in a Suns deal for Durant and also because teams with interest in both players – including Toronto – won’t want to give up assets in a sign-and-trade for Ayton before seeing what happens with Durant.

According to Fischer, the Pacers and Raptors have been the teams most frequently linked to Ayton, with the Jazz described as a less likely destination for the young center. The Pacers and Spurs are the only teams that have the cap flexibility necessary to realistically extend an offer sheet to Ayton. It’s unclear whether he’d rather try to pursue a deal with one of them or wait for a possible sign-and-trade opportunity to a team closer to contention, Fischer says.

One hypothetical scenario is a multi-team trade that sends Durant to Phoenix; Ayton to Indiana in a sign-and-trade; and Myles Turner, multiple Suns wings, and draft capital to Brooklyn. However, Fischer hears from sources that such a package is unlikely to meet the Nets’ high asking price for Durant.

Here’s more from Fischer:

League personnel have begun to discuss the possibility of the Nets simply hanging onto Durant and Kyrie Irving into the regular season, according to Fischer. “Rudy Gobert getting traded for an arm, a leg and two mountains is helping their cause. There’s no way the Nets will ever trade Kevin Durant for anything less than what Rudy Gobert got Utah,” a Western Conference executive told Fischer. “If nothing comes, I can see them saying (to the players), ‘We just all have to come back.’ If I’m them, I just try to string this out as long as possible.”
As has been previously reported, there’s skepticism that the Suns will be able to build a package that appeals to the Nets without getting at least one more team involved. “Deandre Ayton, Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson and five picks still isn’t enough to me for KD,” one GM said to Bleacher Report.
Multiple sources with knowledge of the situation tell Fischer that the Raptors remain unwilling to part with Rookie of the Year Scottie Barnes.
Fischer’s league sources “strongly discounted” the idea that either the Mavericks or Sixers is a serious suitor for Irving. The Lakers remain Brooklyn’s most obvious trade partner for Kyrie, but there’s a sense that they may need to involve a third team to meet the Nets‘ asking price — a package of Russell Westbrook and draft assets wouldn’t maximize Brooklyn’s chances of contending in the short term, Fischer explains.

Nets, Lakers Discussing Irving-Westbrook Deal

July 2nd, 2022 at 6:47pm CST by Arthur Hill

7:06pm: The Nets are characterizing trade talks with the Lakers as “preliminary,” Haynes tweets.

6:47pm: The Nets and Lakers are holding active discussions about a trade that would include Kyrie Irving and Russell Westbrook, writes Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports.

Haynes cites “palpable optimism” that a deal can be finalized, but sources tell him there are several details to be worked out.

The Nets want to include sharpshooting guard Joe Harris, who is owed $38.6MM over the next two years, according to Haynes. Harris is coming off left ankle surgery and was limited to 14 games this season.

The Lakers are reluctant to take on Harris’ contract and want the Nets to give up Seth Curry instead. Curry is also a proficient outside shooter and has an $8.5MM expiring contract.

Irving and Westbrook both picked up their player options this week, but the two sides have to figure out how to match salaries. Irving will make $36.5MM next season, while Westbrook is owed $47MM. The Nets are also seeking draft compensation in the deal.

Haynes notes that Brooklyn isn’t in a hurry to complete an Irving trade and is sifting through numerous offers for Kevin Durant at the same time.

Nets Are Seeking “Historic Haul” For Kevin Durant

July 1st, 2022 at 9:30am CST by Arthur Hill

There was a “ferocity” in the Nets‘ front office Thursday night as numerous teams called with trade offers for Kevin Durant, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said on Sports Center (Twitter link).

The response around the league to Durant’s trade request was immediate and intense as more than half the league made inquiries. Wojnarowski said it created an unprecedented situation as some teams called Brooklyn with offers and then called back later to increase those offers without getting a counter from the Nets.

“There’s never quite been a player of Durant’s stature at this point in his career available for a trade, certainly in the modern era,” Wojnarowski said, adding that Brooklyn is aiming for a “historic haul” in return.

He reports that the Nets are basing their asking price on what the Clippers gave up to Oklahoma City for Paul George (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari and five first-round picks) and what the Lakers paid to New Orleans for Anthony Davis (Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart and three first-round picks).

The Nets “want more than that,” Wojnarowski said.

There’s more on Durant:

Watching the Warriors win the championship played a role in Durant’s desire to leave Brooklyn, Wojnarowski said on ESPN’s “Get Up.” It contributed to the narrative that Durant can’t win on his own and that he’s trapped in a dysfunctional situation with the Nets. Durant reportedly asked for “a change of scenery” when he met with ownership on Thursday.
Appearing this morning on ESPN’s “KJM,” Brian Windhorst cited a “high-90 percent chance” that the Nets will honor Durant’s trade request and said any deal involving Kyrie Irving will probably have to wait until Durant is moved. Irving only wants to go to the Lakers, but that means the Nets would have to take Russell Westbrook, who makes about $11MM more than Irving, and working out other compensation for Brooklyn won’t be easy.
On “Get Up,” Windhorst projected that the Durant trade will involve at least three teams. He cites a potential Nets-Suns deal, saying the match isn’t perfect and both teams will likely make calls to expand the trade and see if they can get assets that they want. Windhorst adds that could “freeze business for a while” around the league as multiple teams consider getting involved. One advantage for Phoenix, Windhorst notes, is that it has control of all its future draft picks and can offer up to four draft choices and three pick swaps. That could encourage several teams to help facilitate a Durant deal. Phoenix is believed to be Durant’s preferred landing spot.

Latest On Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving

June 30th, 2022 at 9:56pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Kevin Durant‘s trade request increases the chances of a Kyrie Irving trade to the Lakers, Jovan Buha and Sam Amick of The Athletic report.

A straight Irving for Russell Westbrook swap would not work financially, so the Nets would either have to add another contract or include a third — and perhaps fourth team — for salary-matching purposes. Irving would be a better fit for LeBron James and Anthony Davis than Westbrook, providing better spacing offensively.

A potential deal could also lead the Lakers to part with first-rounders in 2027 or later.

If the Nets don’t want Westbrook’s salary, a third team could take that contract, with one of the Lakers’ picks and potentially Talen Horton-Tucker and/or Kendrick Nunn being involved.

A source told the Athletic that the chances of the Lakers landing Durant in a deal involving Davis is “zero.” Their focus, apparently, is on Irving.

We have more on the Durant/Irving situation:

The Nets don’t appear to be interested in Deandre Ayton, sources told John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (Twitter link). Thus, a potential trade with the Suns may not include the restricted free agent or it would have to involve a third team.
Irving is “fully supportive” of Durant’s trade request, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (hat tip to RealGM). Irving knew Durant trade request was possible when he opted in to the final year of his contract.
Ben Simmons would be the major impediment to the Nuggets getting involved in the Durant sweepstakes, Mike Singer of the Denver Post notes. League rules stipulate that teams can’t have two players on a rookie scale max extension that have been acquired via trade. Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. would both fit that description.
In the days before Irving’s choice to opt-in, sources close to Ayton raised the possibility of an Ayton-Mikal Bridges deal with the Nets, according to The Athletic’s Sam Amick. It was unclear at that time whether or not Durant was going to ask for a trade.
In the same piece, Alex Schiffer says he’s heard the Nets want multiple All-Stars in any deal for Durant.