# Sue me! I don't want Westbrook! (article)



## PauloCatarino (May 31, 2003)

> *NBA Free Agency Rumors: Thunder reportedly might trade Russell Westbrook, teams believe he’s headed to Lakers next summer
> *
> The moment Kevin Durant left the Oklahoma City Thunder, predictions about Russell Westbrook jumping ship to the Los Angeles Lakers next summer began to fly across print and social media. There were the predictable calls for the Lakers to trade for Westbrook, but even if they couldn’t or wouldn’t, surely the Los Angeles native would want to return home in free agency now that his co-star left Oklahoma City, right?
> 
> People on Twitter aren’t the only ones connecting the dots. The Lakers reportedly think they can land the local product in free agency, and Fred Katz of the Norman Transcript wrote last week that "there are teams who are convinced [Westbrook is] likely heading to Los Angeles after the final buzzer of the 2017 season."


http://www.silverscreenandroll.com/2016/7/13/12177202/nba-free-agency-trade-rumors-la-lakers-russell-westbrook-boston-celtics-oklahoma-city-thunder

I'll go right ahead and say i don't want Russell Westbrook becoming a Laker.
Main reasons:
- Westbrook is a "me"-first PG who can't make the three;
- The Lakers have a nice core to develop, and great things are expected of the incumbent PG, D'Angelo Russell;
- The Lakers won't be competing for a championship any time soon, so the focus should be on developing their young core, wich, if it all goes right, can make the Lakers contender for severall seasons.


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## Ballscientist (Nov 11, 2002)

Don't worry, someone else will take West B within one month.

Celtics and Wolves can give Thunder a nice package.

West B >>> Mozgov plus Deng


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## PauloCatarino (May 31, 2003)

Ballscientist said:


> Don't worry, someone else will take West B within one month.
> 
> Celtics and Wolves can give Thunder a nice package.
> 
> *West B >>> Mozgov plus Deng*


This is irrelevant for the Lakers.


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## King Sancho Fantastic (Jul 19, 2005)

Give me Westbrook if it doesn't cost us any of our core.


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## Jamel Irief (May 19, 2002)

Keep swaggy and his antics and stay away from selfish Westbrook. Paulo Catarino should be an executive for the Lakers.


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## arasu (Jan 18, 2013)

I don't see how Westbrook fits. If he would sign with the Lakers in '17, then the entire team would have to be rebuilt around him. A three guard rotation of Westbrook, D'Angelo, and Clarkson would be pretty good, but it would seem some kind of trade/s would have to happen. After signing him, I doubt the Lakers could get proper value in return for their other players, since other teams would know they were shopping them. 

Westbrook is a player dependent on speed and athleticism who will be turning 29 two weeks into the '17-18 season. That seems like a shaky bet to hinge your franchise on. Age hasn't been kind to most players dependent mostly on speed and athleticism. And Westbrook doesn't seem to be the kind of player who can fit in with another unit without disrupting chemistry. With the disasters of bad chemistry and injuries over the past four seasons, I think most Laker fans would like to avoid all that.


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## PauloCatarino (May 31, 2003)

arasu said:


> *I don't see how Westbrook fits. If he would sign with the Lakers in '17, then the entire team would have to be rebuilt around him.* A three guard rotation of Westbrook, D'Angelo, and Clarkson would be pretty good, but it would seem some kind of trade/s would have to happen. After signing him, I doubt the Lakers could get proper value in return for their other players, since other teams would know they were shopping them.
> 
> Westbrook is a player dependent on speed and athleticism who will be turning 29 two weeks into the '17-18 season. That seems like a shaky bet to hinge your franchise on. Age hasn't been kind to most players dependent mostly on speed and athleticism. And Westbrook doesn't seem to be the kind of player who can fit in with another unit without disrupting chemistry. With the disasters of bad chemistry and injuries over the past four seasons, I think most Laker fans would like to avoid all that.


That's kind of my way of thinking. 

IF the Lakers could nabb Westbrook in the next off-season (very doubtfull, because i would say the Thunder will prefer to deal him this season instead of seing him leave in a year for nothing) they would still be miles away from contending (unless Clarkson, Ingram and Randle develop greatly in the next coupld of years). It would also probably means Russell is out (no room for those 2 PGs, if Russell gets to near all-star level in a couple of years).

Now, Westbrook is a great player, and still has plenty of good years left in his career. But he WILL be close to 29 years old next off-season, and i don't know it the Lakers have the money/assets to put a team around him to contend immediatly.

Having second thoughts, though.... IF the kids progress nicely this season, maybe getting a guy like Westbrook could mean something like +10 wins next season and nearing playoff-level team...


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## PauloCatarino (May 31, 2003)

> *Russell Westbrook to sign $85 million contract extension with Thunder*
> 
> After losing Kevin Durant, the Oklahoma City Thunder are moving quickly to keep Russell Westbrook in town for longer than just this season. Westbrook and will sign a three-year, $85 million contract extension with the Thunder that'll tack on extra salary this year and add two additional years on his deal, including a player option for 2018-19, according to Yahoo! Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski.
> 
> Wojnarowski reports the Thunder will likely hold a news conference Thursday to announce the deal.


http://www.sbnation.com/2016/8/3/12372490/russell-westbrook-contract-extension-analysis-thunder-nba-news/in/12136839

Well, i guess it's settled.... Westbrook will remain a Thunder...


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## JT (Mar 1, 2004)

sometimes the best moves are the ones you don't make. the Lakers did well in not landing him. WestB makes for great television, but not great for a winning team. he *is* the new AI


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## elcap15 (Aug 8, 2006)

JT said:


> WestB makes for great television, but not great for a winning team.


You don't think getting to within 1 game of Finals counts as winning? 

It is crazy that anyone wouldn't want Westbrook on this Laker team.


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## King Sancho Fantastic (Jul 19, 2005)

I want Westbrook on this team. By this team I mean this core. If it means sacrificing any of core (DLo, Ingram, Randle, JC, Nance) to get Russ, then I'll pass.


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## Basel (Mar 31, 2005)

King Sancho Fantastic said:


> I want Westbrook on this team. By this team I mean this core. If it means sacrificing any of core (DLo, Ingram, Randle, JC, Nance) to get Russ, then I'll pass.



Exactly.


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## HB (May 1, 2004)

West B doesn't want you, thank goodness


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## PauloCatarino (May 31, 2003)

HB said:


> West B doesn't want you, thank goodness


If all turns out allright, when Westbrook do want the Lakers (in two seasons), the franchise will be in a state they will not need him!


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## HB (May 1, 2004)

PauloCatarino said:


> If all turns out allright, when Westbrook do want the Lakers (in two seasons), the franchise will be in a state they will not need him!


This next year's draft is actually one where you can probably pick up another legit star if you suck enough. At least that's the silver lining in all this.


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## King Sancho Fantastic (Jul 19, 2005)

HB said:


> West B doesn't want you, thank goodness


West B doesn't want us... yet.


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## PauloCatarino (May 31, 2003)

HB said:


> This next year's draft is actually one where you can probably pick up another legit star if you suck enough. At least that's the silver lining in all this.


In two years (when Westbrooks is a free agent again) D'Angelo Russell will be a 20-8 player.

The Lakers will pass on FA Westbrook, at that time.


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