Russell Westbrook had an awful season with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2021-22 and it has led to numerous rumors and reports that he will be traded this offseason. Of course, after such a bad season, the yield for Russ is lower than ever especially since he has one of the worst contracts in basketball. No one is trying to take on his deal right now and it could very well pose some problems for the Lakers as time goes on.
In a report from Jovan Buha of The Athletics, it was made clear that the Lakers are not interested in sweetening any deal with a future first-round pick. If anything, the Lakers would rather just run it back with Westbrook as they believe a better coach would go a long way for this unit of players.
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Per The Athletic:
"As of now, they have no intention of using a first-round pick to facilitate a Westbrook trade, according to league sources.
And it’s not merely a bluff or tactic to try to regain leverage in trade talks. That may be an ancillary motive, sure, but per league sources, there is a sentiment among some within the franchise that the right coach and a better supporting cast could smooth over Westbrook’s awkward fit with James and Davis."
If you are a Lakers fan, this is probably going to be some bad news. Westbrook was not a good fit with the Lakers and fans are well aware of that. With this in mind, it is going to be a hard sell for the Lakers to keep him on board for another full season.
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