Everyone and their mother know that the Los Angeles Lakers are ready to move on from Russell Westbrook and that they will look to trade him as soon as possible.
It seems like there is not a single soul in the organization who wants Westbrook to remain on the roster for next season.
But Dwight Howard sounds like he may be the lone Laker who wants to keep him in the fold.
The veteran center said that he feels Westbrook, LeBron James and Anthony Davis would be better in Year 2 together because of the struggles they went through this season.
Via Lakers Nation:
“Obviously, it can. I think it can, but it takes time and we live in a microwave society where we want results right away,” Howard said. “Things take time to mesh. You’re looking at three guys in Russ, AD and LeBron who need to have the basketball in their hands to be effective. That’s how Russ has been his whole career. He’s been the guy with the ball. He’s been making decisions and stuff like that. So is LeBron and you’ve got AD who’s the one up-and-coming star who needs the ball in his hands as well.
“It’s very tough coming in first year you play at home. It’s probably very difficult, so I can understand being uncomfortable all season long because you’re trying to make it work so bad. It goes back to what I was saying about the wall. You’re trying to do so much to get through, but it’s just like it’s not working right now. Sometimes you’ve got to sit back down and regroup and figure out how it can work and what you have to sacrifice, put away in order to be successful.”
Westbrook appears to still have plenty left in his tank as a useful individual player, but some rival executives seem to disagree, and that could complicate L.A.’s efforts to jettison him.
Still, if the Lakers ever consummate a trade involving him, there seems to be a decent chance they’ll get some real value back.
Howard himself also said that he wants to stay with the Purple and Gold next season. If that happens, he could probably still give the team some solid rebounding and physicality, albeit likely in fewer minutes than in the team’s championship season in 2020.
