Getty Russell Westbrook, Los Angeles Lakers
Russell Westbrook’s debut season with the Los Angeles Lakers didn’t go as planned, as the superstar guard went from hero to villain in the space of a single season.
Westbrook, who joined the Lakers to be the third option behind LeBron James and Anthony Davis, struggled to impact games without the ball in his hands, and due to his limited shooting ability failed at being a reliable scoring outlet for his superstar teammates.
Of course, if Westbrook had adjusted his style of play, and accepted his role within the Lakers hierarchy, things could have been very different – or at least, that’s what a lot of fans and media believe. In fact, in a recent episode of Fox Sport’s Undisputed, Shannon Sharpe blamed Westbrook’s failure to accept his new position as a significant aspect in Los Angeles’ failure to make the postseason.
“I believe if AD and LeBron had a third piece, or if Russ was willing to accept the role…Russ still sees himself as a number one that happened to be the third option…He’s unwilling to accept the role that would help the Lakers. I believe that would increase the Lakers’ chance or give them the best chance to contend for a title,” Sharpe said during the August 18 episode.
As such, the Lakers have begun to look for alternative options to Westbrook, with their pursuit of the Brooklyn Nets Kyrie Irving being the most high-profile option.
Irving Could Stay in Brooklyn
Despite the Lakers holding a very public interest in Irving, there is still a very real possibility that the superstar guard remains on the East Coast for the final year of his current contract.
According to an August 4 report by SNY’S Ian Begley, Irving remains comfortable with the prospect of spending next season in Brooklyn, as both he and the front office appear to be in a ‘good place’ with each other.
▪️ There is “a lot of pessimism” on a Kevin Durant deal getting done in the near future
▪️ Kyrie Irving is “in a good place and comfortable” with the Nets right now
@IanBegley with the latest notes in Brooklyn: t.co/O7vOXAyoIq
“With regards to Kyrie Irving, I was told by a source close to Irving that he feels that he and the Nets are in a very good place right now, and comfortable heading towards the start of next season. Irving obviously opted in to the final year of his deal with Brooklyn, he can be an unrestricted free agent next summer. After a lot of trade talk, there doesn’t appear to be much there at the moment, so it’s worth noting that he feels like the Nets and he are in a good place at this point, as they head towards next season,” Begley said.
Of course, should Irving remain with the Nets this season, the Lakers will be favorites to obtain his signature once he becomes an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2023.
Nets Reject Lakers Latest Offer
Los Angeles is rarely a team to be deterred in their pursuit of a star – especially if it means keeping LeBron James happy. As such, it should come as no surprise that the Lakers front office recently contacted the Nets to discuss a potential deal that would see Russell Westbrook and two future first-round draft picks be exchanged for Irving – a discussion which Brooklyn quickly ended.
“Sources confirm that they would be willing to surrender both firsts in tandem with Westbrook’s $47.1 million expiring contract to acquire Irving (although it’s unclear if the picks would be unprotected or protected).
I’m told, however, that the Nets have steadfastly rejected that pitch…The Nets’ current stance, sources say, is that they are unwilling to send out Irving in a trade if the deal solely brings back future assets. They apparently want win-now talent in return to part with Irving, despite all of the turmoil that has engulfed the Nets for months,” Marc Stein wrote in an August 18 edition of his newsletter.
The latest from Lakerland on LeBron James’ contract extension and the Lakers’ ongoing attempts to keep adding to the cast around him:
If Los Angeles is unable to convince Brooklyn into parting with Irving, they will have two choices – look for other potential trades involving Westbrook, or try to re-integrate him into their rotation and hope that his second season is more productive than his first. Both options come with risks, but then again, the road to success is never a straight line, and that’s what will make the coming weeks so interesting for Lakers fans.