“Inside the Lakers, it seems, there is some recognition that this hasn’t gone as planned” – Sam Amick says LA Lakers have considered trading Russell Westbrook
Veteran guard Russell Westbrook has been a popular topic as the LA Lakers have bumbled.
After being acquired this offseason in a trade with the Washington Wizards, Westbrook was expected to provide another dynamic weapon alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis. But the Lakers (20-19) have underwhelmed. They are seventh in the Western Conference even with their current three-game winning streak.
With the Feb. 10 trade deadline approaching, many have begun to wonder if the Lakers could try to move Westbrook.
In an article from NBA Insider Sam Amick of The Athletic, it appears any potential Westbrook trade could be tricky for the Lakers to pull off.
"A deal appears extremely unlikely before the Feb. 10 trade deadline, if only because his deal that was once seen by so many as untradeable is such a massive obstacle," Amick wrote. "But inside the Lakers, it seems, there is some recognition that this hasn’t gone as (James and Davis had) planned."
NBA trade talk, Russell Westbrook's (continued) awkward fit and the Lakers' willingness to discuss a deal there, Sacramento's search and the hurting Hawks, at @TheAthletic
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Should the Lakers move on from Russell Westbrook?
The Russell Westbrook experiment hasn't worked out as expected so far for the LA Lakers. The team is on its third winning streak of the season, but has yet to win four games in a row. Instead, they've hovered around .500 all season, and they clearly aren't among the top four teams who have separated themselves in the West.
Their efficiency and defensive consistency have been issues. Those problem areas have drawn plenty of attention toward Westbrook's play.
The veteran guard is averaging less than 20 points per game for the first time since his 2009-10 season. Westbrook has started to show signs of improvement lately, as he's averaged 18.8 points, 9.2 rebounds, 8.2 assists and 1.2 steals per game during his last five games. During that stretch, the Lakers have won four games.
Russell Westbrook had 0 turnovers in 33 minutes tonight.
That’s the first time he’s played 30+ minutes without committing a turnover since 2013. https://t.co/mBBIU0CSku
The speculation about a potential Westbrook trade may only increase with each passing week. It remains clear the organization is going to need to make a move to improve its roster.
The problem moving forward, which Amick highlights, is the fact that Westbrook's contract might present a challenge to find any potential suitors. The 33-year-old guard is set to make $47 million next year in the final year of his two-year contract.
Westbrook, a UCLA product, was the No. 4 pick in the 2008 draft.