Russell Westbrook and the Los Angeles Lakers have not been a match made in heaven. In his first season with the team, Westbrook had a dramatic fall-off, and there isn’t much hope that he can turn things around. While Westbrook will tell you that his play boiled down to Frank Vogel’s incompetence, there are others who think new head coach Darvin Ham isn’t even enough to turn the tide.
Over the past few weeks, there has been this sense that the Lakers fully intend on keeping Westbrook. The original plan was to find a way to trade Westbrook, however, it was becoming clear that his trade value had tanked and that it would not be possible given last year’s horrendous play.
Christian Petersen/Getty Images
Now, a Westbrook trade could be in the cards, and it reportedly all hinges on the Charlotte Hornets. According to reporter Kevin O’Connor, the Hornets are looking to offload big long-term contracts like Gordon Hayward’s, which means they might be willing to take on Russ for at least a year. The Hornets had been suspected as a suitor for Russ, and now, those rumors are kicking back into high gear.
With the offseason beginning on June 30th, things are about to get very interesting. With that being said, stay tuned to HNHH as we will continue to bring you all of the latest updates from around the NBA world.