The Los Angeles Lakers seem to be the topic of a number of rumors already this offseason, and it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that a lot of those rumors have to do with star point guard Russell Westbrook.
The Lakers acquired Westbrook last summer, but the pairing has already been deemed a bust by fans and experts alike. For much of the 2021-22 season, the Lakers seemed interested in trying to get rid of Westbrook.
One recent report points to the Lakers trying to offload Westbrook alongside Talen Horton-Tucker and a future first-round pick in exchange for Indiana Pacers guard Malcolm Brogdon.
“They’re being active,” Jonathan Givony said on Zach Lowe’s podcast when discussing the Lakers. “You’re hearing some, they’re calling Indiana and saying, ‘How do you feel about Westbrook and Talen Horton-Tucker and our 2026 first-rounder?’ And they just get a nice chuckle and say, ‘No thank you, we’ve got better deals on the table than that.'”
Clearly, the Pacers are not at all interested in such a deal. Indiana’s response is something that the Lakers may end up hearing from teams all over the league this summer. Though Westbrook is obviously a household name for even casual NBA fans, he is not the player he once was.
He’s lost a step in recent seasons, and he is showing no signs that he is willing to take on a more supportive role. He also seems incapable of excelling unless the ball is consistently in his hands.
So, while the Lakers may try to move Westbrook this offseason, it is unclear whether they will actually be able to find a deal that interests them in the slightest.
If the Lakers are not able to make some real improvements to their roster this summer, fans may have to brace for another season that does not end with a deep playoff run.
A couple of years ago, this level of uncertainty seemed almost impossible as the Lakers hoisted the Larry O’Brien Trophy in 2020. It goes to show what a few mismanaged offseasons can do to any NBA franchise.
