For the first time since the sputtering end to their 2022 season, the Lakers’ principals gathered in a room to discuss why their upcoming campaign will be different. And in the face of question after question about Russell Westbrook’s fit with the current roster, the only thing clear is the Lakers still don’t have an answer.
Nearly everyone of import was asked about Westbrook—in the final year of a contract that will pay him $47.1 million this year—and all of them, including Russ himself, did not sound nearly as excited about the former MVP’s presence as they did a year ago. (Even the customary photo op was subdued.)
When asked if he could commit to Westbrook being on the team at the end of the season, basketball operations head Rob Pelinka demurred, offering platitudes about how the front office would look into all routes to improving the roster, which is not exactly a vote of confidence for Russ’s long-term future. Pelinka even made sure to add that the Lakers would be willing to part with first-round draft picks in a potential trade to bolster the rotation—long believed to be the price to move Westbrook’s contract.
