Russell Westbrook Trade Talks Get Huge Update

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Detroit Pistons v Los Angeles Lakers
Russell Westbrook #0 of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrates his inbound pass resulting in a last second three pointer from Lonnie Walker IV #4 to end the first half against the Detroit Pistons at Crypto.com Arena on November 18, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2022 NBAE. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Russell Westbrook has been playing well off of the bench.

Russell Westbrook has been one of the most scrutinized players in the entire league over the past couple of seasons. Of course, this mostly has to do with the fact that he hadn't been great for the Lakers. With the team struggling, many felt like Russ needed to be traded.

Consequently, Darvin Ham decided to put Westbrook on the bench. As a sixth man, Russ has actually excelled, and over the last few games, the Lakers have looked pretty good. Additionally, there is now an improved narrative around Russ, with many seeing value in the star.

Russell Westbrook #0 of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrates after a slam dunk against Kevin Durant #7 of the Brooklyn Nets during the second half of the game at Crypto.com Arena on November 13, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

Russell Westbrook Trade Talks

As we noted recently, teams were beginning to call the Lakers about Russ. This is a stark contrast to earlier in the year when the Lakers couldn't pay teams enough to take on that contract. The tables have officially turned, which is good news for the purple and gold.

According to HoopsHype's Michael Scotto, the Lakers are officially closing trade talks regarding Russ. Originally, they were welcoming offers, but with Westbrook playing well, the team is going to ride it out with their point guard. Overall, the Lakers don't want to mess with a good situation.

Russell Westbrook #0 of the Los Angeles Lakers brings up the ball during a 128-121 Lakers win over the Detroit Pistons at Crypto.com Arena on November 18, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

As it stands, the Lakers are 5-10 on the season. That is by no means a good record, however, the team is improving. Anthony Davis looks good, and while the team is in tough on this upcoming stretch, they have a chance to make some noise.

Stay tuned to HNHH for more news and updates from around the basketball world.

[Via]

About The Author
Alexander Cole
Alexander Cole is the current editor-in-chief of HotNewHipHop. He started at HotNewHipHop back in 2018 where he began as a Sports and Sneakers writer. It was here where he began to hone his craft, putting his journalism degree from Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec, to good use. Since that time, he has documented some of the biggest stories in the hip-hop world. From the Kendrick Lamar and Drake beef to the disturbing allegations against Diddy, Alex has helped HotNewHipHop navigate large-scale stories as they happen. In 2021, he went to the Bahamas for the Big 3's Championship Game. It was here where he got to interview legendary figures like Ice Cube, Clyde Drexler, and Stephen Jackson. He has also interviewed other superstar athletes such as Antonio Brown, Damian Lillard, and Paul Pierce. This is in addition to conversations with social media provocateurs like Jake Paul, and younger respected artists like Kaycyy, Lil Tecca, and Jeleel!
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