If you ask anyone in the NBA community about this summer’s biggest move, they’re likely to point you to L.A., where the Lakers have become the newest home to former MVP, and multiple-time All-Star, Russell Westbrook.
Despite some concerns about Westbrook’s fit, his arrival to the team is a pretty big deal and should set the franchise up to compete for years to come.
Westbrook himself seems the most excited for this new chapter of his career, and fans have embraced his fresh start in a really exciting way.
As most look towards Westbrook’s hopeful future, Wizards GM Tommy Sheppard took the opportunity to look back, explaining to the media what went behind the decision to trade him in the first place:
(via Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington)
“That was a very, very unusual circumstance where the day before the draft we were kind of spitballing some ideas and getting some input. I had a heart-to-heart with Russell and it was important to him that I knew and the Wizards knew he wants to play here,” Sheppard said.
“If there was ever an opportunity with the Lakers, that would be the one place. I look at his Hall of Fame career and all he did for us, certainly, for me, I will try to help a guy as long as it helps the Wizards. In this case, we could do a deal and it did help the Wizards.
If that deal didn’t go through, Russ would still be playing for us and we would all be happy. That opportunity presented itself and it was a great deal for both sides and it made a lot of sense for both of us. I wish him the very best.”
The Lakers are Westbrook’s fourth team in four years. He went from Oklahoma City to Houston back in 2019, where he played alongside James Harden and head coach Mike D’Antoni.
Not long after that deal, the Rockets decided to blow it up, and Russ was sent to D.C. in an effort by the Wizards to bring in a co-star for Bradley Beal.
For various reasons, both sides essentially “agreed” to a mutual parting, and Westbrook is home with an opportunity to win a championship with LeBron James.
Hopefully, for Westbrook, it pays off in the end.
