10:38pm: Multiple sources tell Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times (Twitter link) that Westbrook has never asked the Lakers to trade him, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he wouldn’t prefer a new destination, as Foucher implied, or that he has a choice in the matter, because the Lakers might want to move him either way.
10:00pm: Lakers guard Russell Westbrook will be looking for new representation, as his longtime agent Thad Foucher tells ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski that the pair have parted ways due to “irreconcilable differences.”
According to Wojnarowski, Foucher has represented Westbrook since he turned pro and was the No. 4 pick of the 2008 draft. Foucher said the two have a difference of opinion on the approach to take going forward.
“Now, with a possibility of a fourth trade in four years, the marketplace is telling the Lakers they must add additional value with Russell in any trade scenario. And even then, such a trade may require Russell to immediately move on from the new team via buyout.
“My belief is that this type of transaction only serves to diminish Russell’s value and his best option is to stay with the Lakers, embrace the starting role and support that (head coach) Darvin Ham publicly offered. Russell is a first-ballot Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame player and will prove that again before he is retired.
“Unfortunately, irreconcilable differences exist as to his best pathway forward and we are no longer working together. I wish Russell and his family the very best,” Foucher said as part of a larger statement.
Westbrook has been the subject of frequent trade rumors in his rocky tenure with the Lakers, and based on Foucher’s statement, it sounds like the former MVP might be ready for a new team, but obviously Foucher thought it was best to remain in L.A. to try and rebuild his value.
The 33-year-old appeared in 78 games (34.3 MPG) with the Lakers in 2021/22, averaging 18.5 PPG, 7.4 RPG and 7.1 APG on .444/.298/.667 shooting. He was heavily scrutinized by the media and fans due to his shot selection, poor defense and lack of accountability, as he blamed former coach Frank Vogel for some of his issues.
Is Russ delusional Like those Nets players. I hope not, I think he could improve a lot of teams, especially if he could accept a backup role.
The agent isn’t the problem Russ.
My thoughts exactly.
Russ has been the “hot girl” his whole life and now the “looks are fading”.
He’s being shunned by everyone and can’t understand why. And since it can’t be his fault, it has to be poor representation.
Ego’s are hard to reset.
No more gravy left on the gravy train.
Does this mean he wants out of LA? If his agent says staying in LA is his best option and they split because of difference of opinion? Part of me thinks Russ is crazy enough to think he can lead the Nets team to a chip, and he wants to do it because KD didn’t….
@Washington
Yes, I would say he wants out of LA. Playing in your hometown can be a gift and a curse. He’s at a point in his career where his style a play isn’t appreciated as it was 5 years ago (meaningless triple doubles), he’s older and showing less athleticism, he’s playing in front of one of the biggest markets in the world and alongside of LBJ which can be a great thing when you’re winning but sometimes comes with more blame than deserved when he’s losing. Not accusing LBJ of anything but the media will often create their own narrative. He seems like a player no one wants but if you think about it he asked to be traded from OKC once they accommodated Paul George’s request to be sent to the Clippers. Then again in Houston after Harden went toxic and demanded to be traded to the Nets. Rather than face a rebuild he asked to be traded. Then again he asked to be traded to the Lakers.
I truly think the major problem is that LBJ and Sat down with AD to discuss how they can play together and it seems that Russ couldn’t follow the strategy.
To be fair, I’m sure that strategy hinged on all 3 playing together and AD couldn’t hold his end of the bargain.
Divorce?
Lakers have to trade Westbrook to the team whose owners like him
Nets and Pacers don’t like him
Russ has to understand that his contract is what makes him as undesirable as he is. He needs to accept that what happens next is he’s traded to a team thats going to buy him out of his contract and he’s going to sign with San Antonio on a low salary 1 year deal and hopefully make one last push at a multi year contract with a contender.
why would san antonio wan him?
They have a hole at PG and enough cap to offer more than the MLE. Unless you’re part of the crowd that thinks Pop is going to tank for a player he won’t coach, the move is the most symbiotic option for Russ and any team
Jeezus look at those shooting percentages!! Anybody arguing against calling him Westbrick is delusional!!
His fans insist that he plays a winning brand of basketball.
Well, he doesn’t play defense, He can’t shoot and he can’t take care of the ball.
Westbrook might be the dumbest player in the league.
Dude has made like 300M dollars playing hoops. Imagine how much he could have made if he were smart.
Right?
Or simply trying to hold him accountable, especially when he first entered the league.
Regardless of what his shooting percentage is his name is Westbrook not Westbrick.
Russ a hall of famer???? That would be a mistake imo. He’s literally the same guy he’s always been, subpar scoring percentage and great athleticism for rebounds etc. it was just a lot easier to hide his flaws alongside Durant and Harden
@reflect
He’s a low IQ player who’s a tad but underrated but his FG% is not that far off from Kobe’s although obviously Kobe’s accomplished a lot more and was a good defensive player. But RW fg,% is better than the beloved Iverson and other volume scorers. He’s still a legit HOF just not a top 30-40 maybe.
His agent apparently could not shake the Westbrick image. Good luck my man. Stop basing your game off Lance Stephenson and you should be good. Nets are waiting for someone else to want Kyrie S much as LAL, wont happen. Do the trade, 3 team, get Hayward and Terry Rozier and be done with it. At least you’ll have a squad around KD.
What happened in LA last yr. Is not all on or mostly on Westbrook.
2021-22 G 78, mins 34.3, PTS 18.5 TRB 7.4,
AST 7.1, These are solid stats for a starter. But his shooting % we all know are not there.
2015-17 .845% FT Westbrook best yr. Last yr he shot .667% FT. This shows his confidence is shot. Worse his ego has gotten in the way. There is no reason why he couldn’t improve his shooting over the yrs. He has to accept responsibility for this. Is it too late to improve. I don’t think so. But it’s too late for Lakers team. Russ is a scorer not a shooter. But there is no reason to regress at shooting. An athlete should improve his gm every yr. You are not working if you are not improving. That is his biggest mistake.
Westbrook plays 78 games , how many for lebron and AD.
With Westbrook, Lakers won’t make playoffs next year.
Why Would Lakers pay $32 million luxury tax?
Funny how just a year ago people like me were in the minority when we said that Westbrook in LA was going to be a disaster and a clownshow full of ridiculous turnovers and terrible flat junoshots and whining about how it’s everyone else’s fault. Educated fans knew the truth about Westbrook YEARS ago and still most of you same people who are now saying Westbrook this ans wesbrick that were ballwashing and making excuses for him and y’all called him “Brodie” and overlooked the overwhelming flaws in his game because of all those stat padded triple doubles and some of y’all even had the nerve to say that Westbrook is a better point guard then Stephen Curry and that him and LeBron n AD were gonna be a problem.On too of that, any time ANYONE would speak facts about how piss poor of a player Russ is all his little groupie fans would start crying and bugging out and said anyone who was objective enough to criticize Russel Westbrook was a HATER and it was called “Westbrook slander” And nowww after y’all actually watch him play n stop just reading stats or watching his highlights y’all wanna just clown on Russ and go on and on about how bad he is cuz it’s popular. Alot of Y’all needa keep that same energy stop kicking him while he’s down n tryna create revisionous history about Russ and act like y’all weren’t all on his nuts for the last 10 years up until now. The logical fans that Russel Westbrook groupies would always go off on are laughing now, we tried to tell you to use logic. Hindsight is 20/20 for some of y’all
It’s very intriguing that his career long agent came fwd, was publicly critical of him and cut ties a year before Russ’ next payday.