“He slumped the whole year… I don’t think anybody would sign him for free” - Skip Bayless says getting Russell Westbrook out of sight is the best case scenario for LeBron James and the Lakers
For the Los Angeles Lakers, deciding what to do with Russell Westbrook is by far their biggest question moving forward. The front office sacrificed depth for star power when they traded for the former MVP, and it did not pay the dividends they had hoped for.
Westbrook struggled alongside co-stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis, and was one of the many reasons why LA found itself outside of the playoff picture. Due to his massive contract, teams have been reluctant to trade for Westbrook and the Lakers refuse to add draft picks on top of him in a deal.
During a recent episode of FS1's 'Undisputed,' Skip Bayless shared his thoughts on what the Lakers should do moving forward. He feels getting Russell Westbrook as far away from the team as possible is the best case scenario.
" I told you from day one this is the ultimate scenario, this is the worst case. In some ways, I still believe that with all my heart and soul, that it might be the best case for LeBron and the Lakers to just get him out of sight and out of mind."
Russell Westbrook appeared in 78 games for the Lakers last season and posted averages of 18.5 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 7.1 assists.
Should the Lakers release Russell Westbrook?
"It might be the best case for LeBron and the Lakers to get Westbrook out of sight and out of mind." — @RealSkipBayless https://t.co/rw4IqMx1oa
Should the Lakers consider sidelining Russell Westbrook if they can't find a trade?
If the Lakers did decide to send Russell Westbrook home, it would not be the first time a team did this with a high-paid player. The Houston Rockets paid John Wall north of $40 million and he did not appear in a single game despite being healthy.
Russell Westbrook and the Lakers seem to be headed toward 'an inevitable divorce,' per @jovanbuha
Splitting with his longtime agent has added to the perception Russ has become more difficult to deal with. https://t.co/jjhORX2yr8
Doing this has to be the absolute last resort for the Lakers. In reality, they should tack on picks to trade Russell Westbrook before opting to sit him out all season. At that point they could get something in return that could potenitally help them.
It's safe to assume the Lakers don't want to throw away another year of LeBron's career. Even though he's a questionable fit, LA will need Westbrook on the floor if they can't find a trade parter. If they simply choose to sit him out, it almost guarentees another season where they miss the playoffs.
While the Lakers have made some moves in free agency, their supporing cast around LeBron and AD is lackluster. They lack the talent behind their stars to compete with some of the other top teams in the Western Conference. Knowing this, they will need Westbrook out there despite the issues it may cause.