Hours after the release of a story revealing how close he came to being traded to the Pacers, Russell Westbrook was in the Lakers‘ starting lineup Monday night for their preseason opener, writes Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times. Woike confirms that the team has been considering trades for the embattled guard all summer, but it’s not willing to part with unprotected first-round picks in both 2027 and 2029.
Speaking after Monday’s game, Westbrook sounded ready to accept his future, whether it’s with the Lakers or another team.
“I’m super blessed and thankful for what I have and what I’ve been given,” he said. “I’ve got an unbelievable support system, family, leaning on my faith. Everything else will take care of itself. So, all summer, my whole life, I’ve been hearing the stories about myself. That’s not going to change today. So, nothing new for me. I’m going to continue to keep my head down, focus on competing. And everything else will take care of itself.”
Amid the offseason trade talks, the Lakers have been publicly supportive of Westbrook as he enters his second season with the organization. New head coach Darvin Ham said Westbrook has been doing everything he’s asked to in practice, including finding ways to contribute without the ball in his hands.
“Any outside noise, that’s par for the course,” Ham said. “I mean, it comes with the business. But he’s a Los Angeles Laker, the last time I checked. And I’m really not mad at that. And he showed tonight, like, he’s gonna thrive in this system.”
There’s more on the Lakers:
- Ham made his head coaching debut Monday, and it came against one of his mentors, who was also coaching his new team for the first time, notes Kyle Goon of The Orange County Register. Kings coach Mike Brown gave Ham his first coaching opportunity, hiring him as an assistant on his staff with the Lakers in 2011. “Throw the coaching out and the other stuff, a fantastic human being that deserves a chance and I’m glad he got a chance,” Brown said. “The Lakers gave him an opportunity and knowing him, he’s going to fight, claw, do whatever he needs to do to make this thing right for him, his family, the organization and the city.”
- Ham sees a healthy season from Anthony Davis as vital to making the Lakers a playoff team again, tweets Kurt Helin of NBC Sports. Injuries have limited Davis to 36 and 40 games the past two seasons. “None of this works if he’s not available and he’s not hitting on all cylinders,” Ham said. “He’s a big piece. The biggest piece of our success.”
- In a separate story, Lakers camp invitee Matt Ryan talks to Woike about the unusual preparations he had to take to get ready for the NBA after COVID-19 interrupted his final season in college.
There should be a someone in the media that reports solely on other media members job status. Start rumors about lay-offs, turn co-workers against each other, bring up all of their dirty laundry. Get their family members wondering every day if they’re gonna have to move to Afghanistan because dad might get traded to the Kabul Times. Pump out 3 articles a week about the same reporter and then wonder why their performance has suffered. Seems reasonable to me.
This doesn’t make sense. How is this relevant?
Hallucinogens can cause long term side effects my friend. This isn’t the Washington post.
I’m not your friend punchy.
Would love to see this Work with Ham an Russ
Wiggins got pay $32 million last year but was worth $50 million
I wish
New season new wish
Westbrook $47 million and is worth $70 million
He is on mvp conversation and win defensive player award
Lead the lakers to win championship
All offseason rumours about them trading Russ and it’s obvious last season didn’t work and fans demanding they do something.
Then a story comes out about how close they were to trading Russ for Heild and Turner. Very next day they play their first pre season game against the kings and go absolutely smacked.
I know it’s only preseason but to lose, by thirty, to the kings, it doesn’t show good signs does it.
They didn’t want to make the trade cause it would mean giving away two unprotected first round picks in draft waaaay down the track.
It’s just stupid.
NBA made it so you can’t trade first round picks in back to back seasons so even at worse your going to own 50% of your first round picks regardless. As for the personal, Russ showed last season he wasn’t a good fit. I’m not going to outright say he’s trash cause I don’t think he is, it’s just his style as she weren’t want the lakers needed to win games.
Don’t see how that changes this year and they expect to win a bunch of games.
Indiana were offering to take him and give you one of the best shooters in the league in Buddy Heild and one of the best defenders in the league in Myles Turner.
Exactly what this team needs really, to go younger but stay competitive. Better shooting and better defence but also aligns with the timeline of Anthony Davis who will take over after LeBron.
Actually, the Lakers smacked the Kings the entire first half when they played the guys who will actually play during the season. Sure the Kings bench beat the Lakers bench, but who cares.
They were up by 8 at half time. Then got blown out by 22 points in the third and 13 in the fourth to lose by thirty.
As for who cares about the bench. That has to be one of the dumbest comments. You don’t play 5 guys full games the bench is very important.
The beauty of the pacers trade idea is adding 2 players for 1 leaving so your actually getting better depth too.
Darvin Ham is awful with his talking points, might be a better coach in practice and in the games but the way he talks about the team and it’s direction is really a bit off in terms of being the team’s leader and the focal point of it’s strategy.