Los Angeles Lakers point guard Russell Westbrook reportedly remains very open to a potential trade ahead of the 2022-23 NBA season.
Westbrook has been linked with swapping out of Los Angeles even before last season ended, and this summer was no different. After Kyrie Irving’s trade proved impossible, the team clearly tried other trade options. However, so far, nothing has happened.
The Lakers should start next season with an athlete on the roster, but things could end quickly for both parties. While Westbrook has not asked for a trade, NBA sources suggest the player is “very open” to leaving the Lakers to find himself in a comfortable position again.
ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne recently revealed that the former 2017 MVP is open to leaving the Lakers and joining a team that wants the old Russ, the one who shone in Oklahoma City and Washington.
“Russ is very open to a trade. He hasn’t asked for a trade. I’ve been assured of that. But he’s open to that, and somebody who wants him and wants to empower him and wants him to be Russell Westbrook of old.” Shelburne said.
It’s unclear if there are any NBA teams that want the old version of Westbrook, or even if he can deliver. In addition, in recent years, the teams that signed him have had to make some changes to fit the player in attack.
If Lakers head coach Darvin Ham manages to reviveWestbrook’s career with a new role, maybe trade offers will start coming in for him, but don’t expect a team to ask for that player who won the MVP while taking care of everything up front. It can happen, of course, but time will tell how this situation plays out for the player and his current team.
