After the poor start to the season, the Los Angeles Lakers are once again focusing a lot on Russell Westbrook. While the former MVP is a problem for the team, it’s not the only one – far from it. Since the 2020 title, the franchise has found itself in an impasse, and it could get even worse.
Thursday night brought something new for the Lakers. Not a win, no, the team is still waiting for that as one of three in the league. It was more the lack of a scapegoat. Russell Westbrook missed Denver with a hamstring problem, but still lost, relatively clearly.
It almost seemed like the former MVP wasn’t the only reason for the troubles of a team that has been worse managed than any other in the NBA since winning the 2020 title. That impression can sometimes be gained by talking and joking about him after every game as if there were no other topic.
Westbrook is a disastrous fit on this Lakers team, there’s no question about that. However, it is unclear how good this team is independent of him. The Lakers have two stars and, apart from that, the weakest rotation of any ambitious team. And that’s also why they can’t really afford to wait any longer with a reaction.
Lakers and Russell Westbrook: what are the options?
Options are limited, Rob Pelinka (recently rewarded with a contract extension) and also Klutch Sports brought the Lakers into this situation by giving up almost all assets and depth for (especially) Westbrook. What you still have in terms of Westbrook:
- Get Westbrook off the bench. Darvin Ham did it once in the preseason and would do it loud ESPN-Insider Brian Windhorst would love to do it again. It’s unclear what’s stopping him then. Of course, it’s also unclear how much it would really change.
- Leave Westbrook on leave. Similar to John Wall in Houston last year. The logic behind it: It won’t get any better in terms of sport. Westbrook isn’t going to be a better decision maker at this point in his career, he’s not going to be a good jumpshooter, he’s not going to be a willing editor or screener either. Extreme optimists might have been able to persuade themselves that before last season, but no longer at the latest. It would now be optimistic to hope for an addition-through-subtraction effect (pessimistic: even without Westbrook, the Lakers don’t have nearly enough shooting).
- Trade Westbrook. It’s pretty sure it will come down to that sooner or later. According to Adrian Wojnarowski, the Lakers want to wait until after Thanksgiving, hoping some teams will sell by then and get a little more for their package of Westbrook and two future first-round picks they’re allowed to trade. In itself understandable, only that is still almost a whole month.
Lakers: Tanking is not an option
Where are the Lakers after Thanksgiving if they don’t do anything about it until then? Pretty sure in the lottery. The offense is difficult to fix with the current staff, even if Dennis Schröder’s upcoming return can help.
The Lakers talk a lot about their good defensive numbers (currently 4th place in the league), but they are also lucky that their opponents have thrown very weak three-point odds so far. That doesn’t have to be sustainable, especially since a lot depends on Anthony Davis, who has his back in every game.
Orienting downwards is also problematic. Not just because LeBron James is in the year 20 and will probably not play ten more years at the top level. The Lakers also don’t have their own pick 2023, they would have to give it to the Pelicans if their pick gets worse.
Right, currently there is a calculated 14 percent chance of a tandem between Zion Williamson and Victor Wembanyama in New Orleans. A late consequence of the trade for Davis, which Los Angeles would certainly like to do without …
NBA: The Los Angeles Lakers pick situation
| Draft | First Rounder | Second Rounder |
| 2023 | Pelicans have swap rights | Lakers, Bulls |
| 2024 | Owned by Pelicans (can push him to 2025) | Spurs |
| 2025 | Lakers (if Pelicans don’t forego 2024) | Lakers |
| 2026 | Lakers | Cavs |
| 2027 | Lakers | Lakers |
| 2028 | Lakers | Wizards |
| 2029 | Lakers | Lakers |
Lakers: There is no perfect solution
Such scenarios don’t make it any more appealing to relinquish picks at the end of the decade when LeBron is certainly no longer playing for the Lakers and neither is Davis. Especially since a trade doesn’t guarantee that Los Angeles can catch up with the top teams in the west. It’s very unlikely, objectively speaking.
There is no perfect solution. The status quo is unsatisfactory, a trade from Westbrook will either be risky if you involve picks or not do much sportingly if you try to sell it for other bad deals. A trade by Davis could replenish the asset portfolio and put the Lakers on a path towards rebuild – you just don’t have your own pick. The question also remains to what extent such a trade would be compatible with LeBron.
Incidentally, a James trade would only be possible in the summer because he extended his contract early in the offseason. A decision that was certainly not primarily motivated by sport and that now restricts both James and the Lakers in their room for maneuver. Well, at least he’ll break Kareem’s scoring record in LilaGold.
Either way: From the outside, it would be desirable for the Lakers to decide on a path and go through with it. Otherwise it will remain a colossally exhausting and deadlocked situation. Also, but certainly not only thanks to Russell Westbrook.
