Since joining the Lakers, Westbrook has aroused widespread concern among fans. But in the first 2 months of the Lakers, Westbrook's performance was very crotch-pulling, which made him criticized by many fans and experts. For Wei Shao, the Lakers showed great patience, which is a good move.
But so far, the Purple and Gold Army's record has been very average, with they finishing 7th in the Western Conference standings with a record of 20 wins and 19 losses. Westbrook is still trying to find a position in the Lakers, but many still ask the Lakers to trade him out as soon as possible.
According to The Athletic reporter Sam Amick, the Lakers did look at the possibility of trading Westbrook earlier this season.
"This summer, James and Anthony Davis met a lot of league superstars who wanted to be able to lighten their workload. But it turns out that the arrival of Wei Shao has brought great problems. The fit between Westbrook and the Lakers, to say the least, is still awkward — especially with his huge salary ($44.2 million this season, $47 million next season' player options). ”
The Lakers have discussed the possibility of trading Westbrook with other teams, but sending Westbrook before the February trade deadline doesn't seem likely because his contract is too big to match. Inside the Lakers, everyone has clearly recognized that the effect after Wei Shao joined is far less than expected.
Although the Lakers are still winning games, they have little to do with Westbrook. If Westbrook still doesn't change much, the Lakers may trade him by the deadline. Although it may seem unlikely now, the Lakers could make these surprising moves without anyone expecting them to do so. This is not surprising at all.