It's not a secret that the Los Angeles Lakers are actively trying to trade Russell Westbrook. Westbrook also wants to leave, so he even fired his agent of 14 years, who suggested he should just embrace a new role with the organization.
Westbrook's first season in Los Angeles was full of shortcomings and controversies, but picking up his $47 million player option for this season all but complicated any potential transaction.
LeBron James and Anthony Davis reportedly pushed the franchise to trade for Westbrook. Now, reports state that he and James didn't even acknowledge each other during one of the Lakers' Summer League games:
The word around the league is that James is now pushing the Lakers to make a move for Kyrie Irving. Needless to say, that didn't sit well with Westbrook at all:
But as much as James would rather have Kyrie by his side, he and Davis know that they need to stick together and try to make the most of Westbrook's talents if he stays. So, the three of them got together via phone to try and bury the hatchet and get on the same page:
The Brooklyn Nets are open to trading Kyrie Irving to the Lakers as long as they include multiple first-round picks to smoothen that deal. Rob Pelinka has been reluctant to do so and that's unlikely to change.
Westbrook wants to leave and his teammates want him gone, yet coach Darvin Ham seems excited to work with him and even claims to have a plan to put him in a position to succeed. Clearly, someone will be unhappy with the outcome of this situation, whatever it is.