Report: This Is Why The Lakers WON'T Move On From Westbrook

 

NBA insider Marc Stein initially reported last week that the Houston Rockets would be willing to move John Wall in return for Russell Westbrook, IF the Los Angeles Lakers included their 2027 first-round pick. 

It's been a hotly-debated topic since then, but now Stein has the other side of the story, and tells us why the Lakers will not be making such a move. 

According to Stein, the Lakers have questions about just how much Wall would move the needle for them in their championship chase this season. "Surrendering such a valuable trade chip for a swap that isn't guaranteed to raise the Lakers' ceiling this season is the primary deterrent," writes Stein, "since Wall, 31, has not played since last season and cannot be billed as a lock to mesh alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis."

In addition, Stein says it's a matter of optics. 

Team officials, sources say, do not want to pay a premium to move on from Westbrook so soon after the Lakers gave up so much to get the Los Angeles native... L.A.'s clear preference, sources say, is to bank on Westbrook finding another gear in the second half like he did for the Wizards last season.

The fact that "the big 3" of LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Russ have only played together a total of 16 games this season is another factor. Giving them an entire half-a-season runway is the option they must explore.  

The Lakers dealt pretty much all of their tradeable assets to get Westbrook, sending Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Montrezl Harrell and the No. 22 pick in the 2021 draft to Washington. 

Despite yesterday's revelations about why the Lakers have handled Westbrook with kid gloves, it appears that they're stuck with this arrangement.

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