Lakers staffer on failed Russell Westbrook trade: ‘I didn’t think it would be this bad’

Los Angeles Lakers guard Russell Westbrook’s struggles continued on Tuesday night, as he scored just 10 points on 3-of-11 shooting in the team’s loss to the Milwaukee Bucks.

Westbrook has been benched late in games recently for the Lakers. The team has still not found the right fit for him this season alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

Los Angeles gave up multiple key pieces from the 2020-21 Lakers team when it acquired Westbrook, but the trade hasn’t worked out as the team had envisioned.

The Westbrook trade has given one Lakers staffer buyer’s remorse, according to The Athletic’s Bill Oram.

“One Lakers staffer who had reservations about the trade when it was made in July recently told The Athletic, ‘I didn’t think it would be this bad,’” Oram wrote.

The Lakers currently hold the No. 9 spot in the Western Conference with a 26-29 record this season. Los Angeles is several games out of the No. 6 seed in the West, meaning the team is in serious danger of landing in the league’s play-in tournament once again.

Westbrook hasn’t put up the numbers that the team likely expected him to in the 2021-22 campaign, as he is averaging 18.3 points, 7.8 rebounds and 7.6 assists per game while shooting 43.5 percent from the field and a dismal 29.8 percent from beyond the arc.

The Lakers may try to move Westbrook at the trade deadline, but it is going to be a tough task given his contract situation.

Los Angeles and Westbrook will look to get back in the win column on Wednesday against the Portland Trail Blazers.