Getty Lakers guard Russell Westbrook
The Los Angeles Lakers have been predicted to make an unpopular move with Russell Westbrook.
In a February 7 column called “Lakers Trade Predictions Ahead of Thursday’s Deadline,” Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley predicted that the Lakers wouldn’t trade Westbrook.
“As soon as word leaked of Irving’s latest trade request, NBA photoshop enthusiasts surely had rendered more than a few images of Russell Westbrook in a Brooklyn uniform,” Buckley wrote. “It’s not that there was some major presumption that the Nets coveted Westbrook, but the simplest way for the Lakers to line up salaries in a major-money deal is by offloading his $47.1 million. Not to mention, a trade would mercifully end L.A.’s failed experiment with the mercurial point guard.
“That’s why the Lakers will surely keep shopping the 34-year-old ahead of Thursday’s cut-off, but they should expect to hear crickets in return. He is simply nowhere near a $47.1 million player at this point, and the fact that his contract expires at season’s end only cushions that financial blow so much. When L.A. dangled Westbrook and the picks in front of Brooklyn, the Nets said they’d also need ‘all of their young players such as Austin Reaves and Max Christie and pick swaps’ added to the exchange, per Shams Charania of The Athletic. Brooklyn’s verdict—a reasonable stance, if a touch greedy—effectively told the Lakers what they probably knew already: Westbrook is essentially untradeable at this price.”
Westbrook becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer. The Lakers tried to trade the one-time MVP to the Brooklyn Nets for Kyrie Irving. However, Brooklyn traded Irving to the Dallas Mavericks.
Los Angeles has also tried to trade Westbrook to the Utah Jazz, Charlotte Hornets and San Antonio Spurs, league sources told Heavy Sports.
Why Are the Lakers Having Trouble Trading Russell Westbrook?
The Lakers are having trouble trading Westbrook since teams want significant draft compensation to be included in the trade, according to a February 5 report from Kyle Goon of the Orange County Register. Los Angeles doesn’t want to trade its future draft picks in 2027 and 2029.
“But even if the Lakers determine the locker room chemistry can sustain the hits it took from the Irving trade drama, Russell Westbrook’s $47.1 million contract is its own issue,” Goon wrote. “As SCNG previously reported, one of the reasons the Lakers decided to go into the 2022-23 season with Westbrook on the roster was to rehabilitate his trade value. But a rival front office executive told SCNG that Westbrook, who is averaging 15.7 points, 6.2 rebounds and 7.5 assists this season, still likely requires significant draft compensation to be moved, likely at least one unprotected first-round pick and maybe more.”
Westbrook is averaging 15.9 points, 6.2 rebounds and 7.5 assists this season while shooting 41.7% from the field, 29.6% from beyond the arc and 65.5% from the free-throw line. The nine-time All-Star is third in the NBA in turnovers and has the fourth-worst effective field goal percentage and the third-worst true shooting percentage.
The Heat & Bulls Aren’t Interested in Russell Westbrook
Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports reported on February 4 that the Miami Heat wouldn’t trade Kyle Lowry to the Lakers for Westbrook. League sources also told Heavy Sports that the Chicago Bulls have no interest in Westbrook.
The Lakers have been linked to Bulls stars DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic.
Westbrook, 34, has a plus-minus of -44 this season. The UCLA product continues to be a poor fit next to LeBron James and Anthony Davis. LeBron and AD wanted the Lakers to trade for Irving, league sources told Heavy Sports.