NBA Trade Rumors: The Los Angeles Lakers are now unlikely to trade Russell Westbrook who is now thriving in a sixth-man role for the team.
If LeBron James is going to make the playoffs and have a realistic shot at winning a title this season, one thing is clear – the Los Angeles Lakers are going to have to make a move at the NBA Trade Deadline in an attempt to give LeBron and Anthony Davis some added support.
The team has played better as of late but even though they’ve flashed some brilliance at times, it’s clear that this team is a player or two away from being a true contender in the West. With two months before the NBA Trade Deadline, there are many eyes that are watching the Lakers to see what this team ultimately does.
Interestingly, while the expectation almost all season long has been that the Lakers are going to trade Russell Westbrook and future picks to find those missing pieces, it’s now being reported that is unlikely to happen. It seems that LA wants to keep Westbrook in the role that he’s thriving in and perhaps try to add to the team in other ways.
Another report states that the Lakers are trying to upgrade the roster by shopping around the trade package that consists of Patrick Beverley, Kendrick Nunn, and one of the team’s future first-round picks.
Russell Westbrook has found his legs as a sixth man
Since making the move to the bench, Russ has been pretty good for the Lakers. He has helped spark the team’s string of improved play and has found a second or third wind at this stage in his career.
As a whole this season, Westbrook is averaging 15 points, eight assists, and six rebounds per game on 40 percent shooting from the field. They’re not outstanding numbers for a sixth man, they’re solid. And he’s not the problem that the Lakers have to figure out any longer.
Russ has done this season what many have asked him to do – just fit in. And that’s probably a big reason why it would make no sense to trade Russ just for the sake of trading him.
As is, he doesn’t have a ton of trade value on the open market, and considering that he’s an expiring contract, it’s unlikely that there will be a large market for him.
If the Lakers can improve the roster by making a move and keeping Russ, it’s probably something they do. The next few weeks, though, should be telling.