Russell Westbrook
The Los Angeles Lakers have orchestrated a curious offseason. After acquiring a trove of aging shooters last summer, LA zagged this past free agency period and opted to acquire as many young athletes as they could, regardless of their career 3-point shooting percentages.
Even more surprising than their choices with their veteran minimum deals and exceptions was their decision not to break up their “Big 3” that severely underwhelmed last year.
The Lakers brass has reiterated that they’re unwilling to part ways with future first-round picks to shed Russell Westbrook’s contract which essentially means that they’re prepared to run it back with the former MVP and nightly triple-double threat.
If the Lakers refuse to attach positive assets on their end to entice a team into taking on Russell Westbrook’s massive $47.1 million figure, then they’ll have no other option aside from hoping that he, LeBron James, and Anthony Davis can stay healthy and put it all together next season.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Russel Westbrook & Los Angeles Lakers Updates
With LeBron James extending his contract by an additional two years, the Lakers’ title window has also stretched that same period. Their title chances rely entirely on Russell Westbrook at this juncture, though, or rather, what they can get for him in a trade.
The longer the Lakers refuse to trade Russ, the longer they sit outside of the title conversation. That philosophy should switch up quickly once the front office sits through a few losses again to begin the 2022-23 NBA season.
