Los Angeles Lakers forward Carmelo Anthony revealed that LeBron James never asked him about playing with Russell Westbrook prior to the Lakers acquiring the former MVP in a trade with the Washington Wizards this past offseason.
Carmelo on if LeBron talked to him about playing with Russell Westbrook before the trade was made: "No, we never had that. We never had that conversation."
— Ryan Ward (@RyanWardLA) January 11, 2022
The Lakers decided to trade several role players, including Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Montrezl Harrell, to Washington to bring Westbrook in to play with James and Anthony Davis.
Anthony, who played with Westbrook for one season with the Oklahoma City Thunder, signed with the Lakers to help fill a need the team had off the bench.
The veteran forward has been a key piece this season, as he is averaging 13.2 points and 4.1 rebounds per game while shooting 42.7 percent from the field and 38.9 percent from beyond the arc.
It is no secret that James and Westbrook are still learning how to play together, as the Lakers are just 21-20 through their first 41 games this season.
Westbrook has laughed off comments about him being the team’s point guard, and while he has produced solid numbers, the nine-time All-Star is averaging his fewest points per game since his second season in the NBA.
On the season, Westbrook is averaging 19.0 points, 8.1 rebounds and 8.2 assists per game while shooting 44.4 percent from the field and 29.8 percent from beyond the arc.
He and James will need to mesh and find a way to bring out each other’s strengths if the Lakers want to compete for an NBA title in the 2021-22 season.
