It appears that the Los Angeles Lakers are no longer of the mindset that former MVP Russell Westbrook can help the team win a championship alongside superstars LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
Bill Oram of The Athletic offered some insight on the matter.
“Sources have indicated that the Lakers no longer believe they can win at a high level with Westbrook alongside James and Davis, but prior to Tuesday the line of thinking was that the Lakers would be unwilling to wave the white flag and admit their summer blockbuster was a failure,” wrote Oram. “Instead, they would prefer to wait until the offseason, when they could also include a 2029 pick in a potential deal for another max-contract player looking for a new home.
“But the tone after Tuesday’s loss suggested the Lakers are in need of more immediate action. Could things be so dire that the Lakers would be better off including that ’27 pick in a swap now — say for Houston’s John Wall? — even if it means a lesser return? Desperation got the Lakers into this mess and it might take desperation to get them out.
“Either way, whether it is by Thursday’s deadline or in the summer, the Lakers know they need to find their way out of the Russell Westbrook business.”
The Lakers were crushed by the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday night.
Two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo put up 44 points on 17-of-20 shooting from the field on top of 14 rebounds and eight assists. In addition, Bucks star Khris Middleton poured in 21 points, five rebounds and four assists.
While the Lakers clawed back from a huge deficit to make the final score more respectable, they obviously weren’t able to get the win. James gathered 27 points, eight assists and five boards. Davis put up 22 points and nine rebounds.
While James and Davis played well, Westbrook’s play didn’t help the Lakers out. He posted just 10 points on 3-of-11 shooting from the field. On the plus side, he added 10 rebounds and five assists.
Of course, it’s no secret that the Lakers’ plans with Westbrook have failed. The franchise gave up a plethora of assets to acquire the two-time scoring champ, but the deal has not resulted in many positives for L.A. The team is 26-29 this season.
