Getty Russell Westbrook, Los Angeles Lakers
Before the off-season even began, people were questioning whether Russell Westbrook would still be on the Los Angeles Lakers roster by the start of the new season.
Currently, it looks as though the superstar guard will be suiting up for the Lakers throughout the final year of his contract, despite his skillset not gelling with what the roster needs. Couple Westbrook’s lack of perimeter scoring and need for the ball with the fact that Los Angeles recently added Patrick Beverley to their roster, and you can see why so many fans are concerned about how next season is going to play out.
Yet, Kendrick Perkins is of the belief that the Lakers’ new guard duo can thrive together in the rotation, and could potentially become the NBA’s best defensive backcourt, assuming Westbrook buys into a new way to impact the game.
“Everybody keeps talking about the offensive end. And I get it, the spacing, and is Russell Westbrook going to be able to knock down corner three-point shots? Is he going to buy in to playing off the ball? But, I’m listening to what Darvin Ham has already challenged Russell Westbrook on, and that’s being a defensive guy and having one of the best defensive seasons of his career.
In my opinion, Russell Westbrook is the most athletic point guard to ever play the game of basketball. Do you know how many All-Defensive Teams has made in his NBA career? Zero. So, if I’m Russell Westbrook, I’m having the mindset coming into the season that my goal should be to make an All-Defensive team,” Perkins said during his appearance on ESPN’s NBA Today.
Westbrook has all the skills required to be an elite defender, and could easily embrace that role while playing alongside defensive pitbull Patrick Beverley. Furthermore, if Westbrook buys into being a lockdown defender, he may find that his fast break opportunities and early offensive looks start to increase, which would then allow him to play his brand of basketball on the offensive end – allowing him to showcase his entire skillset.
Westbrook Still Willing to be Traded
Given the amount of vitriol that has been spewed towards Westbrook over the past 12 months, it shouldn’t be a shock that he would be willing to end his Lakers tenure in the coming months.
Westbrook’s relationship with the fanbase has nosedived, the media don’t see any upside to his presence within the roster, and the team itself actively sought to deal him in a trade for Brooklyn Nets superstar Kyrie Irving. There’s simply no love lost between either party.
So, when Ramona Shelbourne revealed that Westbrook would be open to a trade while appearing on a recent episode of The Lowe Post Podcast, everything started to make a little more sense.
@ChaszJohnson Russell Westbrook is not stupid, he knows the Lakers wanted Kyrie Irving, but Kevin Durant’s trade demand was rejected by his boss. 😁😁😁
He will gladly leave but not giving a dime back.
“Russ is very open to a trade. He hasn’t asked for a trade. I’ve been assured of that. But he’s open to that, and somebody who wants him and wants to empower him and wants him to be Russell Westbrook of old,” Shelbourne said.
Of course, wanting to be traded, and actually finding yourself on a new team are totally different things, and right now, there doesn’t seem to be much interest in Westbrook’s services around the NBA.
Lakers Pricing Themselves Out of Trade
According to The Athletic’s Tony Jones, the Lakers and Utah Jazz have recently resumed discussions regarding potential trades, but following another round of talks, both teams have reached an impasse and are unwilling to meet each other’s demands.
“They’ve been talking to the Lakers. The Jazz made an offer to the Lakers. The Lakers made a counteroffer to the Jazz. Those two offers were far apart, and I don’t know that there’s going to be enough of a gap to be bridged in order for a trade to happen there.
“I can tell you that the Jazz were seeking one of Los Angeles’ first-round picks, but the asking price for that first-round pick is probably too much for what the Jazz are willing to pay,” Jones said when appearing on a September 10 episode of The Drive with Spencer Checketts.
Report: Lakers and Jazz have exchanged trade offers, remain ‘far apart’ in talks
Considering the Lakers roster is in need of some fresh blood, it’s unlikely that this is the last time the two franchises explore the notion of a trade, but unless one is willing to concede some ground in the discussions, we’re not going to see much movement on the framework of a potential deal.