Russell Westbrook’s first season with the Los Angeles Lakers was objectively a disaster.
Statistically, the former league MVP had a clear down year. His 18.5 points, 7.1 assists and 7.4 rebounds per game were some of his worst numbers in a very long time. But that can be explained. He was playing alongside two All-Stars. There is only one ball. A decline is understandable.
What’s worse is that the Lakers were awful with him. He didn’t mesh well with his teammates. He clashed with coaches. He got into fights with fans. And when it was all said and done, a team that was pegged as a potential championship contender in the preseason didn’t even make the playoffs.
Understandably the Lakers have been actively looking to ship Westbrook out all summer.
They have a Plan A trade involving him in mind, as well as a Plan B trade. In either scenario, the theme is clear: addition by subtraction.
One person who hasn’t taken kindly to this is Westbrook himself.
This week, eagle-eyed observers noticed the message he decided to send Lakers brass via his Twitter:
Russell Westbrook’s latest like on Twitter 👀 pic.twitter.com/gMcEIBzn54
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) August 9, 2022
Yikes. The lack of self-awareness is very real. And it’s getting a bit uncomfortable for all involved.
Fortunately, while Westbrook doesn’t seem to have a firm grasp on the reality of his current situation and where he is in his career, everyone else does.
According to ESPN NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski, a deal is coming.
— Game 7 (@game7__) August 8, 2022
The fine points of it remain to be sorted, but L.A. understands it cannot have another campaign like 2021-22.
Where will Westbrook be playing next season? Time will tell. But all signs currently point to it being somewhere other than Los Angeles.
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Charles Kruger has been credentialed to cover two Super Bowls, four NBA Finals, and one World Series. A 20-year veteran in the sports world, he has sources spanning the NBA, MLB, NFL, UFC and NASCAR. Currently residing in Los Angeles, Calif., he is Game 7’s go-to source for rumors surrounding the Lakers, Clippers and Dodgers.
