Russell Westbrook to the Lakers — Reaction to the blockbuster trade
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After nearing a deal with the Sacramento Kings that would have landed sharpshooter Buddy Hield in Los Angeles, the Lakers decided to bow out and re-package their assets to acquire nine-time All-Star Russell Westbrook from the Washington Wizards. In exchange for Westbrook, the Lakers sent Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Montrezl Harrell, and Kyle Kuzma to Washington and the 22nd pick in this year's draft to the Indiana Pacers.
Although the Lakers have much to be desired in the shooting department, Westbrook brings the type of star power that the Lakers customarily (and excessively) seek. The former league MVP exudes tantalizing energy that the Lakers have not seen since the likes of the franchise’s all-time greatest player, who often spoke so highly of him:
“He’s not out there trying to be cute with the basketball,” the late Kobe Bryant replied when asked about the parallels between him and Westbrook in a 2016 post-game interview. “He’s not out there trying to make friends. This guy is playing hard every time down. It takes a lot of energy to be able to do that, and he just never seems to run out of it.”
The Black Mamba is spot on. If there is one quality of Westbrook’s that deserves recognition, it’s his zeal and infectious sense of urgency that he brings to the entire team culture. For a Lakers team that lacked a clear identity last season and could not carry over the cohesion of the previous year’s championship squad, Westbrook could be the catalyst for bringing back that type of clarity and energy. He’s the type of guy that won’t be afraid to call someone out for taking a possession off, regardless of who that player might be.
Of course, this can augment potential locker-room tension if egos get in the way; but if James and Davis sustain the selfless philosophy that they attributed their championship success to, they should be able to find a place for Westbrook in that mold. However, the age-old concerns surrounding Westbrook are hard to ignore. For starters, he is a player on the wrong side of thirty whose foundation as a player is sheer athleticism. Although we’ve already started to see a natural decline of that signature bounce and lateral quickness, it continues to serve as the go-to fuel for his enraged scoring punch staple.
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But Westbrook’s fury can sometimes be his and his team’s worst enemy—most notably through blatant inefficiency and perhaps the most questionable shot selection we have seen from any NBA superstar. With Westbrook’s ferocity comes an irrational confidence that can disturb the flow of any modern-day NBA offense with iso-heavy play and stiff shot mechanics. A career 30% shooter from deep, Westbrook hardly improved that number last season with the Wizards and continued to shoot below league-average efficiency in nearly every area on the floor. He also tied a career-low percentage at the line and led the league in turnovers for the fourth time in his career.
LeBron James—the Lakers’ saving grace since signing with the franchise in 2018—tends to maximize his individual and team success when surrounded by a barrage of shooters who excel from beyond the arc. Thus far, the ideal puzzle pieces for LeBron’s signature drive-and-kick-centered offense have been virtually absent from his Laker teams, mainly due to questionable roster construction. As a result, all three LeBron-led Laker teams have ended the season as a bottom-ten three-point shooting team. In contrast, between 2014 and 2018, LeBron's Cavalier teams consistently reached the top-seven spot for three-point shooting percentage.
You have to wonder why Pelinka and the Lakers’ brass continuously reject this foolproof recipe of surrounding LeBron with floor spacers. Since having James in town, the Lakers have consistently sought after high-usage ball handlers who fail to fit with LeBron’s traditional bread and butter.
Despite hoisting up the Larry O’Brien less than a year ago, LeBron’s window for capturing another chip with these Lakers is shutting ever so swiftly. To fill the roster’s holes after losing Caldwell-Pope and Kuzma, the Lakers must turn to the bottom tier of the free-agent pool for new wing scorers and multi-position defenders. And given their salary cap status, they only have about $5 million to spend on a free agent contract using their taxpayers’ mid-level exception. Thankfully, the offseason is fresh, but the clock is ticking for the Lakers’ front office to orchestrate another trade with the little pieces they have left. Or, they could simply fill out the roster with a group of “ring-chasers” on minimum contracts (which looks more likely).
On the other hand, Westbrook gives the team an elite shot-creator who can take significant pressure off LeBron down the stretch of a game when the King’s 36-year-old legs start to give out. Assuming the Lakers reach into their MLE to acquire more formidable marksmen (think 35%—we must lower our standards to accommodate for the Laker shooting curse), the incoming three-headed monster just may push the Lakers over the top once again.
Reports from the L.A. Times’ Broderick Turner indicate Westbrook engaged in discussion with James and Davis about teaming up in purple and gold weeks before yesterday’s blockbuster deal. Allegedly, the three stars had a productive conversation about their roles, with each of them expressing a willingness to sacrifice their natural playing styles to suit the team’s needs.
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We can only hope that, for the Lakers’ sake, these sentiments will extend beyond the summer and that the season’s hopes won’t be sunk by an iceberg of egos. Still, the future hall-of-famer and L.A. County native brings an additional aura of excitement to the city. Last season, Westbrook normalized the triple-double even further, clinching another triple-double season average and surpassing Oscar Robertson for the most all-time triple-doubles in history.
Despite the common stat-padding accusations surrounding these feats, Westbrook’s most notable performances do generally translate to club success—in his 182 career triple-doubles, Westbrook’s teams hold a record of 136-46, close to a 75% winning percentage.
And although impressive statistics and accolades don’t mean a thing in L.A. until a championship banner is in play, fans should surely welcome another figure of NBA greatness into the Laker lore.
Statistics and research: Basketball Reference, StatMuse, NBA Stats, ESPN Stats & Information, Wizards Communications.