Russell Westbrook’s tenure with the Los Angeles Lakers has been anything but sweet. The former NBA MVP hasn’t lived up to the expectations, and the team has struggled to win games this campaign.
Right now, they boast a 27-34 record, ranking 9th in the Western Conference standings. Even though LeBron James and Anthony Davis are part of the conversation, Westbrook has received the most criticism from fans and media members.
Rumor has it that Westbrook won’t survive past this season with the Lakers, and it seems like the feeling is mutual. Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report writes that the team and the player are looking to get him a new home in the offseason.
It will be on Pelinka, or whomever is truly spearheading the Lakers’ front office, to find a solution for the Westbrook dynamic, who has played his own role in this Los Angeles turbulence.
Whoever’s to blame, there’s clearly a personality disconnect between Westbrook and the coaching staff. Any suggestion for Westbrook to come off the Lakers’ bench would never have been entertained by the guard, sources said, and Vogel’s staff never seriously broached the subject with him. Westbrook has started all 59 games he has appeared in. And despite what’s been described as a fluid dialogue between Vogel and Westbrook, the former All-Star has publicly chafed about being sidelined during fourth quarter play.
The former MVP gave an impassioned speech to Lakers players prior to the All-Star break, sources told B/R, harping on Los Angeles’ need to take a unified direction to their fight for a postseason berth. Westbrook offered similar internal motivations during last season’s burst for the 8-seed with Washington.
In any case, there is mutual interest in finding Westbrook a new home this summer, sources said.
The Lakers’ trade deadline discussions with the Houston Rockets for a potential Russell Westbrook-John Wall swap didn’t generate significant traction, sources said, as the Lakers were resistant to including their 2027 first-round pick in any deal to offload Westbrook’s salary. League observers have pointed to this offseason as a greater opportunity for the Lakers to shed Westbrook’s contract, when they will be eligible to move their 2029 first-round pick.
Westbrook hasn’t been successful in SoCal. He landed there with big expectations, but things haven’t been in their favor during the entire season. He was reportedly close to leaving the team at the trade deadline, but Rob Pelinka decided to keep the roster untouched.
Well, it seems like things will be a lot different in the offseason. The Lakers need to make big changes to their ranks, and dealing Westbrook would be their top priority once the summer arrives.
