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USA Today via Reuters

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USA Today via Reuters

Last season’s offseason laid the groundwork for the LA Lakers’ miserable season. The front office was taken aback by the idea of adding a third superstar to the LeBron James-Anthony Davis duo. Considering Davis’ injury history and LeBron going into his 19th season, the idea of adding a third star to the mix was not a terrible one. To everyone’s amazement, the franchise acquired Russell Westbrook. 

Terrell Owens holding Dude Wipes XL

And fair to say that, from the get-go, Westbrook wasn’t an ideal fit alongside James and Davis. The Lakers failed to play Brodie to his strengths, therefore he was thrown under the bus for the lackluster season. He could not be his most effective variant alongside James and AD in the system run by Frank Vogel.

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The point guard’s future is currently the buzz of the town. He has been the subject of trade whispers throughout the offseason. The Lakers and Westbrook are said to no longer want to be engaged. No other teams, however, are believed to be interested in acquiring his talents.

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In fact, NBA Insider Tim Bontemps believes that Westbrook could see the exit gates of the league after his time with the Lakers comes to a halt.

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Russ has never been a bad player. However, after a season he had in which the Lakers went from championship contenders to not even making the play-in, one’s worth is sure to be tainted.

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Will a market for Russell Westbrook emerge in the coming weeks?

Russell Westbrook went from averaging a triple-double for the Washington Wizards to posting mediocre numbers for the Lakers.

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While 18.5 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 7.1 assists aren’t horrible numbers, Brodie’s inefficiency makes them appear such.

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The Lakers now find themselves in a tough situation as no team is willing to go the Russ route. The Lakers gave up young blood and draft compensation to acquire his talents. Now, they find themselves in a position where even if they get half of what they gave for Westbrook would be considered a success.

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However, the team understands that a deal cannot be struck without the addition of draft picks or young talent in addition to Westbrook. Considering his age (34) and the hefty contract, he is no longer regarded as a valuable asset.

The Lakers’ front office is now faced with a challenging task. Will they be able to find a new home for Russell Westbrook or will they be forced to run it back? Only time will tell.

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Written by

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Ritvik Malhotra

353 Articles

Ritvik is an NBA writer at EssentiallySports. Having completed his Bachelor's in Journalism and Mass Communication from Amity University, Ritvik has finally got his foot in the door as a professional sports writer. He previously interned at another media house where he authored over 150 soccer articles, but he is now writing about his primary obsession, basketball. Ritvik has been following the NBA for nearly a decade and has been a diehard fan of Kevin Durant since his heydays with the Oklahoma City Thunder. When not writing about the beautiful game, he enjoys his rock playlist and is an avid watcher of the renowned American sitcom 'The Office'.

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Arunaditya Aima

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