Lakers: It Sounds Like Russell Westbrook Wants Out of Los Angeles
The Russell Westbrook experiment in Los Angeles has failed. There is no other way to put it. For most of the season, analysts and Lakers members have argued that he just needed to get time with this team to figure things out. Well, here we are almost at the end of the season, and Russ is nowhere close to finding it.
The games this week should be more than enough to prove that. In the Lakers' loss to the Mavericks last night, Russ sunk just 5 of his 17 shots from the field. He scored 12 points and didn't turn the ball over, but he was a non-factor on both sides of the ball.
Naturally, the boo birds came out at Crytpo.com Arena again. It's time to start thinking about the future of this team, and the latest rumor from Bleacher Report's Jake Fischer suggests that Russ might really want out of Los Angeles.
"In any case, there is mutual interest in finding Westbrook a new home this summer, sources said."
The Lakers apparently had the opportunity to move Russ at the deadline in a deal with the Rockets. That deal proved to be too much of an ask, likely including draft pick compensation in what would have been a lateral move.
So instead, they opted to take the chance and hope that their highest-paid player could find his rhythm. He has not. Over the last two losses, Westbrook is shooting a horrendous 31 percent from the field. He also continues to be a liability on defense and often looks lost on the court.
So for the sake of him and the Lakers, the best thing they can do this offseason is ship him out.
