L.A. at Dallas Mavs: LeBron's Lakers Trying to Trade Russell Westbrook?
DALLAS - While the Dallas Mavs are bobbing along at .500 and busy denying trade rumors regarding Kristaps Porzingis, the Los Angeles Lakers - visitors to the AAC tonight for a Lakers-at-Mavs matchup that won't include the injured Luka Doncic - are in the same boat.
And busy denying the existence of any need to swap out pieces.
"I love every guy that’s in this locker room, and I believe in what we’re capable of doing,'' LeBron James said. "I love what ... the front office did to assemble this team and we look forward to the journey ahead of us.”
That is a vote of confidence of sort from The King, but the fact is - relative to Dallas vs. L.A. - if the Mavs somehow win Wednesday's game, both teams will have 15 wins. (The Mavs would be at 15-13, the Lakers at 15-14.) Both teams would remain in the area of the sixth and seventh seeds in the West.
Enter ... Russell Westbrook rumors.
Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report claims that the team “has held internal discussions” centered on potentially moving Westbrook - and the $91 million left on two years of his contract - via trade.
"The trio of LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook simply hasn’t blended as well as Lakers figures hoped, and Los Angeles has held internal discussions on trade scenarios for Russell Westbrook, league sources told B/R,'' Fischer writes. "But moving Westbrook and the two years, $91 million remaining on his contract does seem unlikely.
Indeed, "unlikely'' seems the key word here, and for many of the rumors that are gurgling up. For Dallas, it's the Kristaps Porzingis-for-Kyrie Irving rumor that seems more gossipy than realistic. And here? Westbrook is a former MVP who is has a player option worth $47 million that he can exercise for the 2022-23 campaign. ... and he's 33 ... and talent aside, his style of play (which some would call "selfish'') makes him an odd fit for many teams.
The Lakers tried to assemble a "superteam'' and it obviously hasn't worked. ... though LeBron preaching patience is sensible.
The Mavs - who have won two straight without the hobbled Doncic (knee) - might feel like sixth place is an accomplishment. (That's with all due respect to Porzingis, who has stepped up in Luka's place.) Of course, as it relates to the concept of patience, long-time Mavs fans can relate, as is it the general position of owner Mark Cuban to "let the cake bake'' with his rosters ... and it is the well-established philosophy of departed GM Donnie Nelson that "we love our boys in blue.''
Dallas coach Jason Kidd, though, has made hints about the limitations of his roster, labeling it one not "built to play defense'' and noting that the Mavs are "a jump-shooting team.''
Do the Mavs need more time? Many vocal MFFLs seem to believe they've seen enough. (Ah, "Mavs Twitter.'')
Do the Lakers need more time?
Both will be in the spotlight on Wednesday ... and both will be the subject of trade gossip as well.
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