On the eve of this year’s trade deadline, all eyes are on Russell Westbrook, whose struggles have put him front and center in the rumor mill. But by the time the final buzzer sounded on Thursday night, it wasn’t Westbrook who was getting clowned on social media.
Somehow, the Lakers lost to an abysmal Blazers team without Damian Lillard, CJ McCollum, Normal Powell, and Robert Covington. This time, they can’t even blame Westbrook either as he missed the game with a minor injury.
It was a shocking end for fans, and even more so for the Lakers players, and it had the entire NBA community buzzing on social media.
THROW THE WHOLE TEAM AWAY!!!!!!! @LAKERS
— LakeShowYo (@LakeShowYo) February 10, 2022
The Lakers without Westbrook just lost to the Blazers without Dame. 😳
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) February 10, 2022
Bron is fed up pic.twitter.com/u6lzPPj7HY
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) February 10, 2022
After the @Lakers loss to Portland tonight, I'm speechless. No words can describe how I'm feeling.
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) February 10, 2022
LAKERS LOST TO WHO ???? pic.twitter.com/wEBq5W6PiG
— 👨🏾💻 (@Devon2481) February 10, 2022
https://twitter.com/IbFiner/status/1491644748733505542
This Lakers squad is the worst “superteam” in sports history
— Mother’s Milk (@CurrysGoated) February 10, 2022
https://twitter.com/_Talkin_NBA/status/1491644335024132098
Lakers need to trade the whole team #Lakers
— not available (@deletemypage200) February 10, 2022
I don’t even know how to feel bro wtf @Lakers cmon man 😔😔😔 pic.twitter.com/Qazs6vPaKj
— Carlos Moreno (@obeyjibbles5150) February 10, 2022
me apologizing for all the Russ slander. He is NOT the Lakers biggest problem pic.twitter.com/Z3JSWU6D6S
— LakeShowYo (@LakeShowYo) February 10, 2022
Russell Westbrook served as the scapegoat for the Lakers this season. The team’s poor play was attributed to his flaws as a playmaker, shooter, and defender.
To lose this game without him suggests bigger issues are at play. The question now is, how can the Lakers address them?
With less than a day before the NBA’s trade deadline, LeBron has not ruled out making some major moves for the betterment of the team.
“I’ve always felt like, listen, I don’t really like to play fantasy basketball, so this is the group that we have going into the deadline, then we’ll be ready to take on all challenges that this season has given us,” James said. “I say this every year, if there’s an opportunity to get better, then you explore those options. I’ve been like that my whole career. I’ve said it over and over. If you have an opportunity to get better, no one turns that down… And if not, then you rock and roll with what you got.”
Of course, the Lakers don’t have much to offer. Besides Westbrook, THT, or that 2027 first-round pick they are not willing to give up, Rob Pelinka does not have much to work with on the trade market.
It’s a messy situation for the illustrious franchise, and perhaps LeBron’s toughest season yet since arriving to the team years ago.
It will be interesting to see how the team responds on Thursday afternoon.
