Russell Westbrook’s situation with the Los Angeles Lakers has been nothing short of a roller coaster since the day he joined the team. Russ has failed to live up to the expectations fans had from him when he was acquired, and his poor play was a large part of the reason the Lakers missed out on even making the play-in tournament last season.
While he was widely expected to be traded during the offseason, a move hasn’t materialized, and there have been comments from new Head Coach Darvin Ham suggesting that he is excited to work with the former MVP. However, following that, there have been many reports that he would be included in a trade for Kyrie Irving. There was also some apparent tension between him and the Lakers’ brass during a Summer League game.
And now, the Los Angeles Times has come out with a report seemingly confirming that Westbrook has a strained relationship with the Lakers, including LeBron James. Coming right after the announcement that he has parted ways with his agent, it’s hard to explain what exactly is going on with Russ.
“The relationship between the Lakers and Westbrook has looked severely strained this offseason. He attended the Lakers’ summer league opener in Las Vegas, but he and LeBron James, who was also there, didn’t speak — a stark contrast to their time together last summer.
“The awkwardness was noted throughout NBA circles, with strong beliefs that the Lakers’ biggest stars have been pushing for the team to trade for Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving.
“There still exists optimism among some players that a deal for Irving can be struck. And while Westbrook has never formally requested being dealt, a new situation could benefit the nine-time All-Star after a disastrous turn with the Lakers.”
All the signs point towards the fact that Westbrook’s days in Los Angeles are numbered, it’s simply a question of whether the franchise can find a way to complete a trade for Kyrie Irving. If he does end up staying though, it would be interesting to see how the Lakers try to reintegrate him into the team.
