Could the Los Angeles Lakers pick up Russell Westbrook?

The Houston Rockets receive: SG/SF Danny Green, SG/SF Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, C JaVale McGee, and PG Rajon Rondo

The Los Angeles Lakers receive: PG Russell Westbrook

No Alex Caruso, no Kyle Kuzma, no Avery Bradley, no Talen Horton-Tucker, or no picks involved in this deal. That is a huge win for the Los Angeles Lakers.

If this was Russell Westbrook coming off his MVP season at the absolute peak of his powers, this trade would be laughed out of the room, considered a joke so silly and disrespectful that if it was offered, all credibility as a front office executive would be erased instantly.

This isn’t peaking Russell.

The Houston Rockets parted way with a couple of picks and Chris Paul to land Russell Westbrook. To say it has backfired on them is an understatement. Chris Paul with the Oklahoma City Thunder how far outshone Westbrook in virtually every way.

Paul led an unlikely OKC team to the playoffs and pushed to the brink but in the end, fell to the superior firepower of Harden.

With Harden’s palpable dislike for Chris Paul was of the utmost importance. What could Houston do to make Harden happy?

Why not unite him with his former OKC teammate Russell Westbrook. What could possibly go wrong?

Everything apparently.

What do you get when you get two of the most ball-dominant players in recent NBA history and put them together on the same team?

An unholy mess.

Westbrook’s game is a complete deviation of what the Rockets wanted to do. The Rockets game plan is simple. Shoot 3’s at an efficient clip, get the ball to Harden and defend.

Russell Westbrook is the last player you think of when you think of the Houston Rockets system.

With respect to the Houston Rockets organization, the experiment failed spectacularly and nothing short of a rebuild is on the horizon for Houston. Cut ties with Westbrook, shake his huge contract, and move on.