Heat a potential landing spot if Russell Westbrook is bought out?
But concerns persist internally that Westbrook doesn’t complement LeBron James and that the mix of stars may not work in the postseason when rotations shorten. The Lakers also have guards Patrick Beverley and Kendrick Nunn (all three expiring contracts) as trade pieces for a smaller deal—or with Westbrook in a potential blockbuster. The answer will depend on what other teams offer. The Lakers will give more if the return provides the team with a credible chance to flourish in the playoffs. Potential trade partners wouldn’t necessarily desire Westbrook, Beverley or Nunn for what they bring to the court. Rather, they would be the necessary salaries needed to take on in order to nab the Lakers’ distant firsts (2027 and 2029), which have value in part because they’re long after James and Davis are projected to be with the franchise. NBA sources have listed the Miami Heat as a potential destination for Westbrook as a post-trade buyout candidate.
Source: Eric Pincus @ Bleacher Report
Source: Eric Pincus @ Bleacher Report
What’s the buzz on Twitter?
Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
Joe Mazzulla’s adjustment to pull Blake Griffin (he had nothing left in the tank after playing a ton on the trip) and put Luke Kornet in during crunch time was huge. Kornet “defended” Russell Westbrook and basically baited Westbrook into taking long jumpers at some key moments. – 12:27 PM
Joe Mazzulla’s adjustment to pull Blake Griffin (he had nothing left in the tank after playing a ton on the trip) and put Luke Kornet in during crunch time was huge. Kornet “defended” Russell Westbrook and basically baited Westbrook into taking long jumpers at some key moments. – 12:27 PM
Sam Quinn @SamQuinnCBS
Lakers fourth quarter net rating:
Russell Westbrook on: -21.6
Russell Westbrook off: +18.8
Both are the worst on the team.
Next worst Laker on: Wenyen Gabriel (-12.3)
Next worst Laker off: LeBron James (+3.2)
It doesn’t matter how well he’s playing. Russ cannot close games. – 11:59 AM
Lakers fourth quarter net rating:
Russell Westbrook on: -21.6
Russell Westbrook off: +18.8
Both are the worst on the team.
Next worst Laker on: Wenyen Gabriel (-12.3)
Next worst Laker off: LeBron James (+3.2)
It doesn’t matter how well he’s playing. Russ cannot close games. – 11:59 AM
Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
Celtics win 122-118 in OT
Tatum – 44/9/6
Brown – 25/15/5/3
Smart – 18/5/6/2
Celtics – 44.2% FGs
Celtics – 19-48 3Ps
Celtics – 14 TOs
Davis – 37/12/3
James – 33/9/9/2
Westbrook – 20/14/5
Lakers – 47.3% FGs
Lakers – 8-29 3Ps
Lakers – 12 TOs – 12:44 AM
Celtics win 122-118 in OT
Tatum – 44/9/6
Brown – 25/15/5/3
Smart – 18/5/6/2
Celtics – 44.2% FGs
Celtics – 19-48 3Ps
Celtics – 14 TOs
Davis – 37/12/3
James – 33/9/9/2
Westbrook – 20/14/5
Lakers – 47.3% FGs
Lakers – 8-29 3Ps
Lakers – 12 TOs – 12:44 AM
Gary Washburn @GwashburnGlobe
#Celtics rally to beat #Lakers 122-118 in OT. They were up 20 midway through 3Q, then trailed by 13 with 3:40 left before forcing OT. Tatum 44, Brown 25, Smart 18, White 10; Davis 37, James 33, Westbrook 20 (7-19 FG),14 rebs.
BOS ends trip 4-2. – 12:43 AM
#Celtics rally to beat #Lakers 122-118 in OT. They were up 20 midway through 3Q, then trailed by 13 with 3:40 left before forcing OT. Tatum 44, Brown 25, Smart 18, White 10; Davis 37, James 33, Westbrook 20 (7-19 FG),14 rebs.
BOS ends trip 4-2. – 12:43 AM
Brad Turner @BA_Turner
Lakers drop 122-118 OT game to Celtics. AD had 37 points, 12 rebounds, LeBron James 33 points, 9 rebounds, 9 assists, Russell Westbrook 20 points, 14 rebounds, but Jason Tatum had 44 points for Celtics to lead the way. – 12:42 AM
Lakers drop 122-118 OT game to Celtics. AD had 37 points, 12 rebounds, LeBron James 33 points, 9 rebounds, 9 assists, Russell Westbrook 20 points, 14 rebounds, but Jason Tatum had 44 points for Celtics to lead the way. – 12:42 AM
Austin Krell @NBAKrell
The Celtics knew LeBron and AD were gassed so they packed the paint and said we’ll conserve all energy for offense and bet against Westbrook making practice-level jumpers.
Cold, cold world. – 12:42 AM
The Celtics knew LeBron and AD were gassed so they packed the paint and said we’ll conserve all energy for offense and bet against Westbrook making practice-level jumpers.
Cold, cold world. – 12:42 AM
Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
Brown missed Tatum wide open on that cut before Westbrook blocked him. – 12:38 AM
Brown missed Tatum wide open on that cut before Westbrook blocked him. – 12:38 AM
J. Michael Falgoust @ThisIsJMichael
Lakers take the lead to start the OT how? Getting off-the-dribble mismatches like Westbrook v Kornet and getting to the rim. How did they lose this lead? LBJ, Westbrook (twice) and AD missed 3s. This ain’t rocket science 🤷🏾
– 12:37 AM
Lakers take the lead to start the OT how? Getting off-the-dribble mismatches like Westbrook v Kornet and getting to the rim. How did they lose this lead? LBJ, Westbrook (twice) and AD missed 3s. This ain’t rocket science 🤷🏾
– 12:37 AM
Kevin O’Connor @KevinOConnorNBA
Russell Westbrook should not be shooting jumpers. The Celtics are right to treat him like Ben Simmons. – 12:35 AM
Russell Westbrook should not be shooting jumpers. The Celtics are right to treat him like Ben Simmons. – 12:35 AM
Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
Celtics -Lakers tied at 110 after regulation
Tatum – 42/8/6
Brown – 20/11/5/3
Smart – 16/4/5/2
Celtics – 43.8% FGs
Celtics – 17-43 3Ps
Celtics – 14 TOs
Davis – 37/12/3
James – 31/9/9/2
Westbrook – 14/12/5
Lakers – 48.2% FGs
Lakers – 8-24 3Ps
Lakers – 12 TOs – 12:30 AM
Celtics -Lakers tied at 110 after regulation
Tatum – 42/8/6
Brown – 20/11/5/3
Smart – 16/4/5/2
Celtics – 43.8% FGs
Celtics – 17-43 3Ps
Celtics – 14 TOs
Davis – 37/12/3
James – 31/9/9/2
Westbrook – 14/12/5
Lakers – 48.2% FGs
Lakers – 8-24 3Ps
Lakers – 12 TOs – 12:30 AM
Mike Trudell @LakersReporter
It’s a 10-0 run to start the 4th, and an 18-0 run going back to the 3rd Q for LAL.
LeBron and AD leading the way, with some help from Westbrook. – 12:02 AM
It’s a 10-0 run to start the 4th, and an 18-0 run going back to the 3rd Q for LAL.
LeBron and AD leading the way, with some help from Westbrook. – 12:02 AM
Gary Washburn @GwashburnGlobe
#Celtics played around and let the #Lakers rally. A 20pt lead is down to 8 with Westbrook at the line for 2 late in 3Q. – 11:52 PM
#Celtics played around and let the #Lakers rally. A 20pt lead is down to 8 with Westbrook at the line for 2 late in 3Q. – 11:52 PM
J. Michael Falgoust @ThisIsJMichael
Dear goodness. You open up your stance on Tatum for a second, he’s gonna cook you. That first step after Westbrook opened his stance was a blur. Dude goes from 22 feet from the rim to at the rim in a blur😱 – 10:57 PM
Dear goodness. You open up your stance on Tatum for a second, he’s gonna cook you. That first step after Westbrook opened his stance was a blur. Dude goes from 22 feet from the rim to at the rim in a blur😱 – 10:57 PM
Jared Weiss @JaredWeissNBA
Russell Westbrook must have more layups that completely missed the rim than the rest of NBA history combined. – 10:55 PM
Russell Westbrook must have more layups that completely missed the rim than the rest of NBA history combined. – 10:55 PM
More on this storyline
He has. In the short term, with Westbrook pivoting from a liability the Lakers appeared eager to offload to an asset that L.A., at the very least, won’t just dump. It wasn’t a sizzling-hot take to suggest before the season that this one might be Westbrook’s last. The market next summer for headstrong 34-year-old point guards with diminishing skills who were hell-bent on being a starter isn’t expected to be robust. Westbrook’s willingness to come off the bench, however, changes the calculus. “This will change how people view him,” says a high-ranking team executive. “If he’s willing to be a change-of-pace point guard, to play less minutes, to have defensive energy, top-tier teams are going to be interested in him this summer. The Iverson comparisons are fair. Allen could have played three or four more years if he had been willing to come off the bench. He would have had a field day against second units. Westbrook can do the same.” -via Sports Illustrated / December 13, 2022
Indeed. Teams, including the Lakers, will closely monitor Westbrook. Not just how he plays in the sixth-man role, but how happy he is playing it. It could get bumpy. Westbrook sat for the entire fourth quarter of the Lakers’ win over the Pistons. He didn’t grumble—L.A. salvaged a 3–3 road trip—but some, like Van Gundy, wonder whether he eventually will. “If things don’t get appreciably better for the Lakers, is his happiness in that role going to still be there or is he going to look around and say, ‘You know what? This is BS. We’re not winning. I’m coming off the bench behind guys I’m better than,’” says Van Gundy. “It’s a hard role for him. It’s either got to work for him or it’s got to work for the team, or that buy-in is not going to go on forever.” -via Sports Illustrated / December 13, 2022
Harrison Faigen: Per the Lakers, Russ just became the second Laker ever to record a triple-double off the bench, joining Magic Johnson, who did it in 1996. -via Twitter @hmfaigen / December 10, 2022