On December 15, Beijing time, the degree of run-in between Russell Westbrook and the Los Angeles Lakers is still a hot topic. According to Bleacher Report reporter Jack Fisher, the team "has had internal discussions" and the current focus is on moving Westbrook through a deal. Fisher said that the Reason the Lakers are considering trading Westbrook is that the latter is too weak to attack and defend, and james and thick eyebrows have not established too strong chemistry on the offensive end.
But it's also difficult to send Westbrook away through a deal, and the $91 million remaining in his two-year contract is a big problem. At this stage of the regular season, the Lakers' schedule has been 1/3, but their results are far from expectations, ranking sixth in the West with a record of 15 wins and 13 losses. While they still have great hopes of making it to the playoffs, it's not ideal for a team with three big-name players. Another less ideal thing is that the Lakers think Westbrook's salary is too high, but the contribution is small.
Westbrook could become a free agent as early as the end of the 2021-22 season, and he has a $47.06 million player option on his contract that can be exercised in the 2022-23 season. Because Anthony Davis's performance is not up to par, and Westbrook is a highly used player with a negative net rating (like AD), the Lakers may be forced to abandon Westbrook, after all, Thick Brow is the team's champion. Of course, the premise is that there is a team willing to accept his huge salary and declining performance.
The Philadelphia 76ers and Los Angeles Lakers are both sixth in their respective divisions, with the same record so far this season. Relative to preseason expectations, the Lakers' poor performance has raised questions about whether certain players, such as Westbrook, are really a good fit. On the other hand, the 76ers have been dealing with Ben Simmons since the offseason, and Simmons clearly doesn't want to stay in Philadelphia. As rumors of NBA deals continued, Ben Simmons and the Lakers began to gradually connect, and it is reported that Simmons is one of the Players preferred by the Lakers.
Fisher stressed that the Lakers want to get rid of Westbrook, who is a great player but may not fit into the Los Angeles roster, and the 76ers want an All-Star in exchange for Ben Simmons, who is reportedly the player of their dreams. On top of that, Westbrook and Simmons' salaries were not much different. The Lakers want Simmons to take a fancy to his defense, which is the big problem that the Purple and Gold Has been with this season. In addition, coming to Philadelphia and the Emperor Embiid combination, Wei Shao's offensive role will be greatly revealed.