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Photo AP / Nick Wass
Russell Westbrook reportedly met LeBron James and Anthony Davis at James’ home two weeks ago to discuss the three of them playing for the Los Angeles Lakers.
According to Broderick Turner of Los Angeles Times, all three have expressed their desire to take the Lakers to another championship by “putting their egos aside.” Westbrook also spoke of “coming home” to win a championship since he is from Long Beach, Calif.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Washington Lakers and Wizards agreed to a trade on Thursday that would send Westbrook and the second-round picks in 2024 and 2028 to LA for Kyle Kuzma, Montrezl Harrell, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and the pick. No. 22 overall 2021 NBA Draft.
The Wizards sent that pick to the Indiana Pacers for point guard Aaron Holiday and No. 31 selection Isaiah Todd, via the Milwaukee Bucks. The Pacers used the No. 22 pick on Kentucky forward Isaiah Jackson.
By acquiring Westbrook, the Lakers have come up with their version of a “Big Three” in hopes of bouncing back from last season’s first-round playoff exit after winning a championship in 2020.
Today, LA has four times NBA MVPs and four times NBA Finals MVP at LeBron, eight times All-Star at Davis and nine times All-Star and once NBA MVP at Westbrook.
Per Turner, James and Davis told Westbrook they would be willing to switch positions to accommodate him, with LeBron moving from small forward to forward and AD moving from forward to center.
Additionally, Westbrook reportedly said he would be comfortable playing with the ball when James led the way offensively, which he did with the Houston Rockets when he sometimes turned over to James Harden.
Westbrook, 32, spent the first 11 seasons of his career with the Oklahoma City Thunder before spending a year with the Rockets and Wizards.
During his time with OKC, Westbrook was a two-time scoring champion and helped lead the Thunder to the NBA Finals once, where they lost to the LeBron-led Miami Heat.
In 2016-17 after Kevin Durant left for the Golden State Warriors, Westbrook had a season for the ages. He led the NBA in scoring with 31.6 points per game while adding 10.7 rebounds and 10.4 assists per game.
This made Westbrook the first player in NBA history to average a triple-double in a full season alongside Oscar Robertson, and it also earned him the NBA MVP title. .
Westbrook has now averaged a triple-double over four of the past five seasons, including last season when he recorded 22.2 points, 11.7 assists and 11.5 rebounds per game for Washington.
While Westbrook has a few shortcomings, including shooting just 30.5% beyond the arc for his career and returning the ball more than four times per game, he gives the Lakers an elite playmaker and rebounder. from the position of leader.
LeBron, Davis and Westbrook are a solid core provided they all can stay healthy, but the key now for Los Angeles is to fill the rest of the roster with quality shooters and actors after giving up much of their time. depth in Westbrook trade. .
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