Getty Lakers point guard Russell Westbrook on December 25
In a December 28 article called “How to Fix the Los Angeles Lakers, Toronto Raptors and the NBA’s Most Desperate Teams,” Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz urged the Los Angeles Lakers to trade Russell Westbrook.
Swartz wrote that the Lakers need to get something in return for Westbrook, who becomes an unrestricted free agent after this season.
“Is Westbrook really better this season as a sixth man, or are we just not noticing his faults as much? Raw numbers of 14.6 points, 7.5 assists and 6.1 rebounds per game may get him some 6MOY love, although in reality, Westbrook is much of the same player just in a lesser role,” Swartz wrote. “Westbrook’s true shooting mark (48.5 percent) is the worst of his career, his three-point shot frequency is actually up from last year (29.1 percent of all shot attempts from 21.5 percent in 2021-22) and an 18.5 percent turnover rate is the highest of his 15 seasons. While the Lakers can simply let his contract run out and use the extra cap space this summer, Westbrook’s expiring deal is one of the last remaining trade assets this team has left. Los Angeles needs to move on from Westbrook, using his deal as its best option to match money with before the deadline.”
Westbrook has appeared in 32 games this season. The nine-time All-Star is averaging 14.7 points, 6.3 rebounds and 7.7 assists while shooting 40.7% from the field, 28.6% from beyond the arc and 67.4% from the free-throw line. The Lakers are 14-18 when Westbrook plays. They are 14-21 overall on the season, which is good for only 13th place in the Western Conference standings.
Lakers May Not Trade Russell Westbrook Despite Poor Fit With LeBron James
The Lakers are reportedly unlikely to move Westbrook before the league’s February 9 trade deadline, according to a December 15 report from Sam Amick of The Athletic, even though the franchise has internal concerns that the UCLA product doesn’t complement LeBron James. Westbrook isn’t a good shooter, so he doesn’t fit well next to James.
“But concerns persist internally that Westbrook doesn’t complement LeBron James and that the mix of stars may not work in the postseason when rotations shorten. The Lakers also have guards Patrick Beverley and Kendrick Nunn (all three expiring contracts) as trade pieces for a smaller deal—or with Westbrook in a potential blockbuster,” Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus wrote on December 14. “The answer will depend on what other teams offer. The Lakers will give more if the return provides the team with a credible chance to flourish in the playoffs. Potential trade partners wouldn’t necessarily desire Westbrook, Beverley or Nunn for what they bring to the court. Rather, they would be the necessary salaries needed to take on in order to nab the Lakers’ distant firsts (2027 and 2029), which have value in part because they’re long after James and Davis are projected to be with the franchise. NBA sources have listed the Miami Heat as a potential destination for Westbrook as a post-trade buyout candidate.”
Westbrook, 34, has the third-worst plus-minus for the Lakers this season at -64.
Lakers Don’t Want to Make Another Trade Mistake
In a December 26 column titled “Lakers are wasting LeBron James’ greatness and loss on Christmas is another reminder,” The Athletic’s Jovan Buha wrote that the Lakers front office “doesn’t want to compound its previous mistakes with more win-now moves.” Los Angeles made a blockbuster trade during the summer of 2021, acquiring Westbrook from the Washington Wizards. That trade wound up being a poor move for the purple and gold, who went 33-49 in 2021-22.
“Reinforcements via trade would obviously help, and the Lakers are still evaluating their options on a dormant trade market,” Buha wrote. “At the same time, it becomes increasingly challenging to justify trading a first-round pick if the group continues to struggle. The front office doesn’t want to compound its previous mistakes with more win-now moves.”
The Lakers are still evaluating their options on the trade market, but it’s possible that Rob Pelinka doesn’t make a giant trade to improve the roster around James.