The Los Angeles Lakers thought that they made a splash over the offseason when they acquired former MVP, Russell Westbrook. The Lakers had to give up a few key assets in order to acquire his services, including Kyle Kuzma. However, it seems as though the experiment is failing. The Lakers have been wildly inconsistent throughout the entirety of the season. Albeit they have been dealing with a lot of injuries, it doesn’t seem as though Westbrook helps them out. On the surface, the casual fan might not understand how Westbrook derails the Lakers. Because he’s currently averaging 18.3 PPG, 7.8 RPG, & 7.6 APG.
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One would think that any team would be lucky to have that kind of production on their team. The problem is that numbers can be deceiving. Some other factors to look at is that Westbrook averages the most minutes on the team and he hasn’t made the most of it. He leads the Lakers in the lowest plus-minus and currently leads the league in turnovers. It’s worth mentioning that this season has seen him put up his worst turnover rate and also PER. So, his overall statistical production can be classified as “empty”, because he slows down his team in actuality. It’s gotten to the point where head coach, Frank Vogel, benches him in fourth-quarter situations.
Is He on Borrowed Time?
Westbrook is obviously not too pleased with his recent benching. However, Vogel was given permission from the front office to do so. There could be trouble in paradise. Because it seems as though there are multiple parties upset with how the Lakers have been playing. LeBron James has expressed his frustration with the organization, after their blowout loss to the reigning champion Milwaukee Bucks. After the game, James didn’t hold back any punches, “Do I think we can reach the level where Milwaukee is right now? No.” When asked about any potential trades for the Lakers, he deflected the question. He told the media to talk to Rob Pelinka, Lakers general manager, about that subject.
There have been a few big trades that have already taken place. The NBA trade deadline is tomorrow afternoon. There have been a few big names in the mix of trade speculations including Damian Lillard, Ben Simmons, and James Harden. Trading away Westbrook is way easier said than done. Because his average salary is $41.3 million for the season, and also next. So, that’s a hefty price to pay, but it is possible. Westbrook is a former MVP and the all-time leader for most triple-doubles in NBA history. His resume is stacked, I do believe that the Lakers will try to put out a few feelers tomorrow afternoon. But if they can’t find a core piece (Examples: Lillard or Buddy Hield) to help them contend for championships, then they’ll probably steer clear and just work with him. Because the key for the Lakers is to stack up, not blow up.
