Lakers Rumors: L.A. May Keep Russell Westbrook Around All Year

Westbrook’s new role off the bench could save him from previous trade talks.

Executives around the NBA believe that the Los Angeles Lakers will continue to keep point guard Russell Westbrook on this season's roster if he continues to deliver off the bench.

At the start of the season, there was discussion as to how Westbrook would effectively fit within the starting lineup. With his early poor performance and conflicting on-court fit with star LeBron James, head coach Darvin Ham moved Westbrook out of the starting lineup and to the bench. Since then, the guard has been able to execute much better, also reflecting in the overall team’s performance.

The Lakers have won four out of their last five games, to improve to 6-11 on the season. L.A. lost all three of its first three games with Westbrook starting.

“While some combination of Rob Pelinka, Myles Turner, and Buddy Hield has been trending topics on Twitter after each Lakers loss, many rival executives believe acquiring both players won’t make Los Angeles a contender in the West,” HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto wrote. “Some executives believe the Lakers will stand pat and ride out the Westbrook experiment if he continues to produce off the bench.”

If the Lakers did receive Turner and Hield, would it be worth it to lose future prospects? The team would most likely have to part ways with at least one first-round pick in the 2027 or 2029 NBA Draft.

As enticing as it could be, the move might not be worth it if it cannot drastically improve the Lakers and their chances at a title. The Lakers may simply settle with the current progress they've gained from Westbrook’s new role and stick it out until his contract expires following the 2022-23 season.

Westbrook is averaging 15.4 points, 5.4 rebounds and 7.7 assists per game while shooting 40.6 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from beyond the arc. Though now out of his prime, Westbrook is still contributing to the Lakers in a significant way.

Coming off the bench, he’s made big improvements from last season alone. He’s shooting a better three-point percentage and averaging more assists per game. He looks a lot more comfortable and confident now that he can be the main leader on the floor within the second rotation.

Though there is still time for the Purple and Gold to finalize any major moves in the trade market, other executives believe the sixth man won't be in that discussion.