The Los Angeles Lakers took a chance on Russell Westbrook this offseason. He was acquired from the Washington Wizards with the expectations of helping get this team back into title contention after a down 2020-21 campaign followed up the team winning the NBA Finals in the Orlando Bubble in 2020.
It was a risky move, as they depleted all of their assets to make it happen. But, there is always some risk involved when trying to get the reward of winning an NBA Championship. Unfortunately for the Lakers, things have not panned out.
The Westbrook experiment has been a mitigated disaster. His skill set has not meshed well with LeBron James and Anthony Davis, causing more headaches than positives for head coach Frank Vogel.
Teams very rarely like to admit they were wrong, but it sounds like the Lakers have reached that point. Things have gotten so bad, it sounds as if the organization is accepting the harsh reality that this isn’t a championship-caliber team.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: 3 Top Landing Spots For Russell Westbrook After Potential Buyout
The Athletic shared some updates, as things are reaching rock bottom for the purple and gold.
“Sources have told The Athletic that the Lakers no longer believe they can win at a high level with Russell Westbrook alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis. But before Tuesday’s game, the thinking was the Lakers would be unwilling to wave the white flag and admit their mistake of trading for Westbrook.
“One Lakers staffer who had reservations about the trade when it was made in July recently told The Athletic, “I didn’t think it would be this bad.”
People within the organization are seemingly the only ones who didn’t think it could get this bad. This was a disaster waiting to happen, adding a ball-dominant player that cannot shoot and plays lackluster defense to a duo that thrives in spacing.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: 3 Top Landing Spots For Russell Westbrook After Potential Buyout
If the Los Angeles Lakers no longer think they have a team that can compete, you can be sure they will try their hardest to change that ahead of the deadline on February 10th. As long as LeBron James and Anthony Davis are healthy and playing, this is a team that could present some problems to opponents in the postseason.
If the Lakers can find a trade centered around Russell Westbrook to help restock the roster, it is something they have to seriously consider doing. Putting ego aside is something necessary so that the front office can put the best product possible on the field.
There likely aren’t many, if any, deals to be made ahead of the NBA Trade Deadline. The Houston Rockets were mentioned as a potential trade partner, but the Los Angeles Lakers were not yet willing to include their 2027 first-round pick in a deal.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: 3 Top Landing Spots For Russell Westbrook After Potential Buyout
If their chance has changed, Houston could be a landing spot. The New York Knicks are another possibility that has been floated out. New York needs point guard help and could send some pieces to Los Angeles that better fit around LeBron James and Anthony Davis. But, they would also need at least the 2027 first-round pick to be included before taking any negotiations seriously.
