The Christmas Day NBA slate in Los Angeles seemed like the perfect time for the Lakers to get back on track. Losers of four straight heading into the holiday, Los Angeles was hosting a Brooklyn Nets’ team that was without Kevin Durant. Instead of picking up a much needed victory, the Lakers just intensified certain trade conversations.
The Nets went ahead by 23 points but the Lakers were able to make a run to get within two. With less than two minutes left in the game, Russell Westbrook lost track of Patty Mills as he escaped to the corner to knock down a crucial three. This put the Nets up five and capped off a 34-point performance.
Was this solely on Westbrook? No but it seems right that this happens after weeks of trade rumors.
LeBron James has been putting up huge numbers recently to carry the Los Angeles Lakers. He has not had much help. James put up 39 points on Christmas and Malik Monk was the second leading scorer on the team with 20 points. Westbrook finished with a triple-double but it was as unimpressive as can be.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Could Anthony Davis Eventually Be Traded By Los Angeles Lakers?
New flash – the triple-double in the NBA has been ruined because of the player’s ability to stat pad. Westbrook remains a perfect example for this. He finished with 13 points, 12 rebounds, and 11 assists against the Nets. Westbrook also shot 4-for-20 from the field, committed five fouls, three turnovers, and was a team-worst -23.
The big story in the offseason was when the Lakers executed a trade to acquire Russell Westbrook from the Washington Wizards to create a big three with James and Anthony Davis. Now, the Lakers sit at 16-18 on the season and it might be time to think about trading their point guard.
Los Angeles moved Kyle Kuzma and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in the trade to acquire Russell Westbrook. They were unable to re-sign Alex Caruso so they could make room for Westbrook’s contract, which owes him $44 million this season.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Could Anthony Davis Eventually Be Traded By Los Angeles Lakers?
The Los Angeles Lakers sacrificed key defensive pieces to bring in a point guard that has a skillset similar to LeBron James. The depth is not there and the Lakers lost too much from their top-ranked defense of last season.The fit was strange coming into the season and it is rearing its ugly head now.
The Lakers are currently 18th in the league in three-point shooting. They commit 16 turnovers a game, which is third most in the NBA. Los Angeles has an offensive rating of 105.9 and that is 26th in the league. This is not what the Lakers expected when Russell Westbrook was acquired in the trade.
Most importantly, who would take on Russell Westbrook’s contract? The Cleveland Cavaliers have re-inserted Kevin Love into the mix and taking on Westbrook would not make sense. The Houston Rockets want to move John Wall but it is a lateral move to bring Westbrook back.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Could Anthony Davis Eventually Be Traded By Los Angeles Lakers?
Other rebuilding teams remain uninterested while contenders do not want to blow it up. The Lakers seem stuck at this point unless they find a way to take on some undesirable contracts.
Westbrook is scoring 19.6 points per game. He is adding 7.9 rebounds and 8.1 assists. We knew that the numbers would look good on the surface. Take a deeper dive and see that Westbrook is shooting 45% from the field. He refuses to make a three-point shot at 30.5% and is turning the ball over nearly five times per game.
Anthony Davis remains injured. The Lakers’ schedule does not get any easier and the Western Conference has seen many teams improve this season.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Could Anthony Davis Eventually Be Traded By Los Angeles Lakers?
All of a sudden, the Lakers are going to have to fight to get into the postseason. LeBron James has always been able to carry his teams to the postseason and titles but that was when he was by himself. Sometimes the grass is not always greener. While James might carry some of the blame from critics who like to put it all on his shoulders, that is not what it is about this season.
At this point, the front office of the Los Angeles Lakers needs to admit that it was a poor move with severe repercussions. As the new year approaches and the trade deadline shortly after, it is time for Los Angeles to seriously look for trade partners. Firing Frank Vogel will not be the answer. There needs to be some changes and moving Russell Westbrook could be the answer.
