Lakers stars LeBron James, Russell Westbrook and Anthony Davis renewed their commitment to one another and their goal to win a championship together in a phone conversation during the first weekend of the Las Vegas Summer League, Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports reports.
The conversation was organized to make sure all three were on the same page as long as they’re still wearing the Lakers uniform. Eyebrows were raised when James and Westbrook seemingly ignored each other during the Laker’s first Summer League contest.
Westbrook, who opted in for final year of his contract at a $47MM pricetag, has never requested a trade from the Lakers, according to Haynes’ sources.
Westbrook’s name has remained in the rumor mill this summer, particular as a potential trade piece for Nets guard Kyrie Irving. The trade chatter has seemingly intensified since Westbrook and his longtime agent parted ways last week.
If all 3 on same page… Nobody was healthy last yr… If Lakers get a few pieces on the bench, they can make playoffs…
They were 3rd in the West before injuries derailed the team. So I definitely agree
Was this 15 games into the season?
Current team would be lucky to earn a 7 game series
They’d be lucky to reach game 6 of that series
I think Lakers fans will like Ham, will like some of the kids, will like the energy/effort opposed to last year but in the end that offense as currently designed is just putrid and caps their ceiling at about the 7 seed ( AND thats with AD and LBJ averaging 70 games played a piece ) Any inj problems they fall to the 9~12 range effortlessly
Agreed. This team has no depth and no shooters. As it stands now, the biggest boost the team can get is in Kendrick Nunn is healthy and performs like he did in Miami. That is a long shot. THT is not a guy.
Imagine a LeBron and AD Laker lineup with Brook Lopez protecting the rim and shooting 3s. With KCP playing defense and shooting 3s. With Kuzma provided frontcourt depth and scoring and rebounding off the bench. Oops!
This team improved shooting, size, defense, and athleticism. They still lack playmaking. THT needs to improve shooting, dribbling, and defense. I think he could get them 13ppg next season but effective which would be nice off the bench. I’m curious about Reeves, because I could see a version of him getting 12-13ppg if takes a leap on 3s and stays aggressive in drives, and gets than FT above 85% he’ll be fine. I liked his intensity which was muched needed last year but he needs some muscle as he was getting pushed around. He played well with everyone so I can see him getting 28-30mpg
Oops indeed! Grass isn’t always greener Barry, they found out the hard way
KCP and Kuzma are excellent players who did everything and anything that was asked when here
As someone who watches most Laker games on NBA League Pass, and subscribes to the LA Times, I would disagree with your assessment of Kyle Kuzma and Kentavious Caldwell Pope. Kuzma, while having some good games, would also disappear for others. He never seemed to get to the consistent level of play the Lakers were hoping for, thus his name was in trade rumors constantly, for several years. There were also questions about his coachability and some friction with certain teammates. KCP had a good series when LA won the title in the bubble season but he was also hampered by long stretches of inconsistent play and cold shooting during the regular season. So to call them excellent players who would do it all when asked, is not my recollection and also for many people around the team including management as well.
You make your Lakers projections pretty much on last year’s roster, which had a well-documented myriad of problems including injuries and a glaring lack of chemistry. The roster for this year continues to be a work in progress and until we know what it will look like on opening night, predictions for how their season will go are bound to be flawed. And they might be partially based on your like or dislike for the team and what you hope will happen.
Make playoffs? Sure….
Win? Even the first round…nope.
If they stay all healthy all year long best they can hope for is a play in tournament. Are they better than Suns, GSW, T-wolves, Mavs, Nuggets, Clippers, Grizzlies, or Pelicans? Not at all.
They have play in written all over them. If Westbrook limits turnovers and is more selective offensively. and imrpvre defense from last yr he’ll improve efficiency. Otherwise he’ll hurt them on both ends again. And outside of Utah, everyone got better 1-8. Good luck Lakers
The Lakers shopped Westbrook to the entire league with no takers! Brooklyn was never doing a Kyrie for Westbrook swap when Westbrook makes $13 million more per season, and the Lakers have no other assets to enhance the deal. Lakers have no shooters. The one shooter they had, Malik Monk, is now playing for Sacramento. New head coach and now the Lakers have to convince Westbrook to be the 6th man. Lol. He should accept the role. Westbrook is the king of racking up monster stats and NOT producing any wins to go with it.
But if a nothing article.
“ All three are on the same page AS LONG AS THEY HAVE A LAKERS JERSEY ON”
Aka I’m only committed to you because I want to win but your not by any means safe.
Since this call Bron then snubbed Russ at the game and Russ has since also got a new manager….
How the conversation probably went. Russ” Why you trying to get rid of me for Kyrie? Leborn that is wrong”. LeBron “nah that is only rumors I never said to get rid of you”. “just come to training camp ready for us to win another championship.” LeBron hangs up and calls AD “Russ just called me pretend those rumors about me wanting Kyrie are lies.”
Lol. This is going to be fun watching them fall again
Lol laker fans
On the same page? Please these guys can’t stay healthy enough to stay on the same page. Soon as Westbrook goes a few games laying bricks that page will turn
Well, it’s settled. They vowed. Might as well clear a space in the trophy case, because Larry O’Brien is coming back to Los Angeles.
Yeah but a vow isn’t as locked in as if they’d made a pact. You know, like the kids in American Pie, or Not Another Teen Movie.
Lmfao please run it back
Couldn’t happen to a nicer bunch!!
Lakers probably going in on Kyrie. There is no other move to make for them. Going to LA will bring him ALL THE ATTENTION he craves. Nets got no other suitor for Kyrie. So I can see this getting worked out.
Ad and Bron for Irving, Durant and Simmons might be the best option for both teams.
If they combine with the Knicks and Jazz for the Mitchell deal, Westbrook could end up in Utah with Simmons and a combination of Jazz and Knicks players could replace them on the rosters of the Nets and Lakers.
Or
Bron, AD, Conley and Beverly to the Nets.
Westbrook to Utah.
Durant, Irving, Simmons and Clarkson to LA.
I just can’t see Russ coming back….
It’s one yr. All the money comes off in 1 yr. Or Nets can move him at TD. Lakers can give up 2 number one picks. Plus a player. Nets can get rid of contract (Harris)
I hear ya Sanja :
We potentially have a little offseason part 2 brewing tho- I think a couple teams will still take a swing (up/or down) once some of the parts start moving .
In reference to your post {I think??} Jeanie is prepared to put the picks unprotected on the block once this potential ball gets rolling. There should be 3~4 teams interested at that point to sift thru then – Good chance I think they find a partner and take a swing (up) as well
I have no problem lifting the protections and trading the pick(s) if it’s worth it. My fear is they get taken tho in a deal as they feel too much heat down their neck from LBJ to just get anything done for the sake of doing something
The Lakers are one of the few teams in the NBA that will absolutely regret gutting all of their draft picks like this. The Lakers draft as well as any team in the league right now.
Brandon Ingram, Julius Randle, D’Angelo Russell, Lonzo Ball, Larry Nance Jr. were all 1st rounders
Kyle Kuzma, Talen Horton-Tucker, Ivica Zubac, Svi Mychialik were all 2nd rounders.
I guess they can still get undrafted free agents like Jordan Clarkson and Alex Caruso.
That is some damn good drafting.
You know I don’t see the Lakers making a deep run either but if LeBron and AD can stay healthy anything is possible, the problem is both starting healthy.
I really hope they stay together one more season. Watching it fall apart again will be fun to watch.
If they had a conversation the first week and all was good sounds crazy. Tell me why didn’t Bron and Westbrook speak to each other when the lakers were playing in Vegas??????
THT is just 22 give him a break. Ham will help too. Maybe Kemba will come. He can’t hurt.
The Lakers have to trade AD.
He’s the only chip of value and they have to build a team around LeBron that’s a lot better than what they have now.
This is actually a perfect year to do it because all of the teams tanking for next year means lots of talent dumps.
Sending out Westbrook and AD gives them over 100 million dollars to build out around Bron.
Losing AD is very sad bit you’ll be OK.
The options are paying someone to take Westbrook.
Keeping him.
Or trading him and AD for a package of Kyrie and 70 million dollars worth of players.
Seems like a no brainer to me.
Same page = syncing their injuries to be on the shelf at the same time?
I really can’t understand why Westbrook couldn’t adopt like and embrace the role similar to Jimmy Butler. Attack the basket (driving with your head up helps) and work on 10 ft jumpers. LBJ has to go back to running the point full time but it can work. Westbrook needs to humble himself.
None of this arbitrary stuff people talk about actually matters when the players on the floor around him are what they are. There isnt anything wrong with Westbrook if they have the shooting around him and Lebron, and if Anthony Davis shoots it the way he always has before last year. Its not Westbrook’s fault their roster construction isnt good, and even though they added good pieces this offseason, they’re still missing the main thing they’ve needed, and neglected since they won the championship, and got rid of Danny Green, and then got rid of KCP and Wesley Matthews a year later
Westbrook still believes that he is still worth a max contract.
According to his instagram comment:
“The stats, The Triple doubles, I still got it!”
He is stubborn and lacks self awareness
Wow!!! Really??!!?? Three men being paid a LOT of money to play on the same team have agreed to consider trying to win??
What a world!
Lakers are too lazy. Last year Russ the only one running the floor, everyone else just shuffling their feet. If they want to get on the same page they got to start running suicides every day. Coach Carter style
Anyone who has ever been in a thrupple can relate.
They will all play in harmony = eye wash
They cannot wait to divest themselves of RW
If they didn’t do a blood pact it don’t mean anything.