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NBA Trades: 3 takeaways from Russell Westbrook Lakers-Wizards trade

By Lance Legere

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 22: Montrezl Harrell #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers loses possession of the ball against Russell Westbrook #4, Bradley Beal #3 and Deni Avdija #9 of the Washington Wizards during the fourth quarter at Staples Center on February 22, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 22: Montrezl Harrell #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers loses possession of the ball against Russell Westbrook #4, Bradley Beal #3 and Deni Avdija #9 of the Washington Wizards during the fourth quarter at Staples Center on February 22, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) /
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Lakers, Russell Westbrook (Photo by Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images)
Lakers, Russell Westbrook (Photo by Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images) /

Takeaways from Russell Westbrook trade to Lakers: 1. Russ forms a new Lakers Big 3 with LeBron and AD

The Lakers wanted a veteran point guard heading into this offseason and didn’t take long to acquire one.

They could have played the long game and waited for names like Chris Paul and Kyle Lowry to hit free agency, but general manager Rob Pelinka must have liked this fit best with his current superstars on the roster.

On paper, this makes the Lakers the clear-cut favorite coming out of the Western Conference and puts them in contention against any team in the league. How this team plays out on the court may read as a different story.

A healthy Anthony Davis is the key to any Lakers title run, but how LeBron and Westbrook can coexist will be the ultimate domino for Los Angeles.

A Westbrook-Davis pick-and-roll combo may be one of the more deadly threats the league has to offer. The Lakers can even tinker with Davis as a primary ball-handler in some of these sets, as Westbrook’s ability to roll and finish through contact opens up a wide variety of options for the Lakers’ offense.

While those two may have a seamless fit on the floor right away, everything the Lakers do runs through LeBron James.

Westbrook has shown the ability to play more off-ball, most recently with the Wizards alongside Bradley Beal.

Westbrook posted a usage rating of 30.2 percent, which ranked 13th across the league last season. Beal ranked third, with a usage rate of 34.1 percent. The two ball-dominant guards were able to coexist and led Washington to a playoff berth, ultimately getting ousted in five games by the Philadelphia 76ers.

This is a promising sign, but while LeBron may benefit from playing more off-ball as he enters his age 37 season, the ball will always end up in his hands when things matter most.

LeBron has thrived with shooters on the floor, and Westbrook may not fit that mold. A career 30.5 percent shooter from three-point range isn’t the most glimmering stat. Westbrook shot 31.5 percent from deep a season ago, and the Lakers are certainly banking on Westbrook staying around that number or hopefully bolstering it from the number of open looks he will get alongside James.

The Lakers could have potentially had a career 40.6 percent shooter from downtown in Buddy Hield, but decided to go the star route instead.

The Lakers lose depth with this move, with now only four guaranteed contracts on the books heading into the offseason, but a Westbrook-James-Davis trio was too good to pass up on. What Westbrook can do without the basketball may decide the Lakers’ fate for the 2022-23 NBA season.

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