Russell Westbrook approved a blockbuster trade to the Lakers during the offseason and he doesn’t regret it, despite a rocky first half of the season, Sam Amick of The Athletic reports.
Westbrook is frustrated by his inefficiency on offense, but he’s thrilled to spend so much time with his family. He grew up and lives in California.
“I get to see my kids, my family, my mom, my dad,” Westbrook said. “To me, that’s more important than anything else. I’m able to be home and be able to embrace them. They get to see me, and as they get older I get to see my kids every day and take them to school every morning. To me, that brings joy.”
Westbrook is still trying to find a way to mesh with two other superstars, LeBron James and Anthony Davis. He’s gotten used to being the No. 1 or 2 option and the transition to a reduced offensive role hasn’t gone smoothly. In fact, Westbrook’s production has nosedived this month. He’s averaging 12.4 PPG and 6.4 APG while shooting 29.3% from the field in five January games. He’s missed all 12 of his 3-point attempts.
“We’re all trying to figure it out as a team, as a unit, to be able to say, ‘OK, how can we figure this out?’” Westbrook said. “And I know I’m the one who has got to make the biggest sacrifice — and I understand that — so I’ve got to be able to figure out a way to be able to make the best out of it and make the best for this team and that’s it.”
Westbrook’s name has popped up in trade rumors but it will be almost impossible to move him. He’s got a $47MM player option for next season which he will undoubtedly exercise. That would scare away potential suitors, particularly with his struggles of late.
Westbrook is unconcerned about the possibility, slim as it may be, that he’ll be dealt before next month’s deadline.
“I never worry,” he said. “Do the job. Be professional. Every year, my name is in trade (rumors). It never, never, never seeps into how I approach what I do.”
On the bright side, at least he gets to take his kids to school every day
If they John Wall him, he can even pick them up, too.
Westbrook is smaller Giannis.
Westbrook is older Giannis.
As I said before
If LeBron is 37 years old, Westbrook is 47.
This means something.
We’ll see much he cares if he opts in for 47m or does a new deal much lower salary.
Lol, business is business. Whether or not Russell decides to pick up a contractual option really has no correlation to how much he loves his family. But I feel like you already know that.
As a bum Lakers fan, you’re obviously hoping that Westbrook turns down the $47M option, so that your fave team might gain some financial flexibility. You then infer that if RWB picks up that option, it means he cares more about money than his family. So basically, you think it’s okay to slander a man to that kind of level, to say he doesn’t care about his family, just so your crappy, washed up team that has never developed ANYBODY, can get some reprieve off of a terrible trade that THEY made. Anyone who truly understands the landscape of the NBA knows that the Lakers are a fraud. They rely on the perks of the geographic location that they happen to play in, in order to lure free agents. Thats their game. Their is absolutely no basketball thought put into their decisions whatsoever. A monkey could have signed LeBron James, and then traded every asset available to them under the sun for Anthiny Davis, who by the way, has been overrated and soft since his New Orleans day. If the Lakers had any soft of basketball IQ in their front office, they would have known that AD is not the guy long term. They also would’ve known not to trade every remaining decent asset for Russell Westbrook. Regardless, as a particular historically relevant book quotes, “as you shall sow, so shall you reap”. The Lakers are reaping the consequences of the short sighted decisions they have been making.
Someone that doesn’t recognize that the Lakers are, and have always been an extremely well run organization is just hating and need to take off their clown shoes. You can’t argue at the success they’ve had over the course of their existence. Have they had some unsuccessful periods? Yes of course they have, just like any organization does. AD is an all time talent when healthy. Yes he has had some injuries over the years but this last one was caused by a freak play that he had no control over. Does he need to look into changing up his training routine to figure out a better way to keep his body ready for an 82+ game grind? Of course that is something he should be trying to figure out. But again, to say that the Lakers are a “fraud” just shows that the only thing fraudulent here is your biased opinion on one the greatest organizations in not only basketball, but all of sports.
Not the same organization over the years. Problem they have is trying to build a championship team too quickly that caused this problem. Instead of being patient with the young talent they had they went after old vets. The fault could be trying to squeeze out a championship while LeBron was still a quality player. They were able to do that but now they ruined the team for the next 5 plus years. Trading AD and LeBron is their best option to be a quality team in a couple of years. If they don’t its mediocre team and then a bottom team for the next 6 years.
“Problem they have is trying to build a championship team too quickly that caused this problem ”
They won THE SHIP yr 2 Arc !! Mercy!!
Maybe read what you write before pressing send ?
Theone that was a lot of inferring. I assume TW could decline for more years and fewer dollars (I have not read that discussed).
Lmaoo, pal, the Lakers are absolutely a fraud. Maybe you need to take off your clown glasses so you can see clearly. Have they won championships?? Sure they have. Have they developed aby of their own talent to do so?? Of course they haven’t. It doesn’t matter which period the Lakers are in, a successful one or an unsuccessful one. The fact of the mugger remains the Lakers put absolutely NO thouhht into their Basketball decisions whatsoever. Compsred to an organization like the Raptora, the Lalers are an absolute JOKE when it comes to building and maintaining a Basketball factory/program. The only bigger joke than the Lakers organization, are Lamers fans. How can tou be a fan of a team that just goes out and signs whoever they want?? Yiy guys tried to develop Lonzo, Ingram, Kuma, and failed miserably. Give your clown head a shake.
But of course the leadership that got them 16/17 titles is gone. This management overpaid for Davis — his critics are right, he’s talented but injury prone and not a winner — and made a jaw-dropping blunder in the trade for Westbrook, who Kevin Durant concluded long ago is not equipped to win a title. The Lakers *were* an extremely well-run organization but the jury is out about today. It is not a stretch to say the Lakers are on the verge of a contastrophe that will resonate for several season, and waste LBJ’s final years.
Too many dumb statements made to waste my time with bye.
If I was making that much every year I’d be making the ‘best of it’ too. Kind of hard not to really.
There’s nothing really stopping you. Pick up a shovel, and start laying some bricks!
Westbrook is all time great with negative efficiency on both defense and defense this season
Most reporters want to trade him
Is that a riddle?
The Lakers should trade Westbrook for Mike Bibby.
A little start would be not blowing the wide open dunks/layups. Idk how many times I’ve seen that from him this year.
He’s one of my favorite players because of his athleticism and competitiveness, just slow down and make your gimmes.
I feel like Westbrook is too fast twitchy at times. His muscles are fast twitch to the extreme, and he has trouble reigning that in. Someone should work with him on that, slow the game down for him. He needs to learn how to control his unreal athleticism so that it can translate to better basketball production. He’s basically an unreal athlete at this point running around a basketball court not really knowing what he’s doing out there.
Volunteer to come off the bench. Be willing to do anything to help the team win instead of whining about unfair criticism like a little kid.
At age 22, Reddish is top tier 3 and D player.
Reddish has 2-year 10 million contract remaining
Let’s say 10 teams make offer. Why did Lakers offer 2 second rounders only?
Because that’s all they have to offer LOL!
Russ is having a good season, which of course falls short of his usual greatness, but I can’t see why so many haters are having a go at him, apart of ATL & CHI no one has a better performing 3rd guy in their team!
Russ is a great guy & competitor, a natural born winner, he deserves enjoy his life now while having a good season, just trying to always do a bit better, but man never seen a former MVP sooo much dissed like him. I will never understand all the hate for him!
Hey, at least he’s happy. I would be too living in LA and making $47 million a year to build houses. Power to RWB!
Exactly. He’s worked and earned the right to be in the situation he’s in. I’d love to be in a position to support my whole entire immediate and extended family, in the place I wanted to be, around the people I want to be with. People can say what they want, but he’s living the dream.
Exactly
People don’t usually say they’re making the best of a situation when they’re in a good situation.
I’m very glad Russ is happy. As a Clipper fan, I welcome him to LA and hope he enjoys every minute of his contract. His player option is what he deserves and he should absolutely claim it. Of course, I know Laker fans, those kindly folk, are warmed by the thought that Russ is enjoying a lot of family time. It takes the sting out of a bad season to imagine him by the fireplace, reading to the kids.
As a neutral fan I do take Russ over Kawhi (and you stuck with him for longer at a higher price tag, SMH!) any day of the week & twice on Sundays… so enjoy the failed experiment that is the Clip nation!
#FreeWestbrook