Lakers fans get a timeline of when to expect a Russell Westbrook trade
By Jason Reed
Los Angeles Lakers fans have been waiting for the team to trade Russell Westbrook since the 2021-22 season ended back in April. Despite all the rumors that circled the team in the offseason, Los Angeles decided not to pull the trigger on a Westbrook trade.
The Lakers may have been instantly justified in doing so after the Pacers’ first game of the season on Wednesday night. However, it doesn’t make it any less disappointing for fans who have to watch ugly basketball every few days.
Fans are counting down the minutes until Westbrook is eventually traded from the team with every ugly loss seemingly making it closer to happening. Regardless of how ugly it gets, the Lakers have seemingly established an internal timeline of when to consider a Westbrook trade, giving Lakers fans an idea of what to expect.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski laid out the team’s possible timeline to trade Westbrook during an appearance on ‘NBA Countdown’. And while it is not that far into the future, it might still be too far along the road for most fans (h/t Silver Screen and Roll).
"“I’m told to expect Rob Pelinka and the Lakers to wait until post-Thanksgiving, 20 games into the season and see what teams may start pivoting, who don’t start off well who decide that they may start to unload players and perhaps get involved in the Victor Wembanyama sweepstakes to get down in the lottery.”"
Lakers fans need to buckle up for at least 20 games of Russell Westbrook.
From a holistic point of view, this is the right decision for the team to make. At the quarter point of the season, we all will have a good idea of which NBA teams are actually setting up to make a run at the play-in and which teams are already preparing to bottom out to tank for Wembanyama.
And who knows, there could always be a surprise team in there that has an all-star-caliber player that they could trade for less than two first-round picks. A lot can happen in 20 games in the NBA and that is what LA is banking on.
That being said, Los Angeles has a very tough start to the 2022-23 season and by the time the 20-game mark rolls around, they might have the record of a lottery team as well. They do not have the luxury of tanking for Wembanyama like other teams as New Orleans has their pick, but they could fall pretty far out of the playoff picture.
At that point, the Lakers would really have to find a trade that can push them up the standings and give them a chance. If they are 5-15 a Buddy Hield/Myles Turner package probably is not going to save the season.
So, as fans have been told all summer, it looks like we will simply wait and see.