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The LA Lakers had an extremely disappointing 2021-22 NBA season. Rumors have once again started to circulate concerning Russell Westbrook, who did not live up to expectations after joining last offseason.
Coming into the season, the franchise had high hopes for Brodie. The 2017 MVP was supposed to be the third star to help propel the Lakers to another championship, but his season was defined by turnovers and botched layups.
Westbrook has expressed his interest in running it back with LeBron James and Anthony Davis next term. However, that looks unlikely given how the All-Star guard performed. Although much of the blame has gone to Russ, injuries to their star players played a massive role in the outcome of the Lakers' season.
According to Lakers insider Jovan Buha, three teams could be potential trade partners for LA regarding Westbrook. On The Forum Club Live Room Q&A, Buha was asked about the potential destinations for Westbrook, and he said:
"I guess my top three will probably be again Houston, New York, and Charlotte, based on what I’ve heard and what other people have reported."
Given Westbrook's displays this season, finding a team that would want to take him, especially with his $44 million salary would be a daunting task. TV personality Skip Bayless has spoken against him joining the Charlotte Hornets, pointing out that his presence might affect LaMelo Ball's growth.
Before the February trade deadline, there were rumors linking Westbrook to several teams, including the Houston Rockets. A deal could have been struck involving John Wall, who did not play a single game for the Rockets, and whose salary is in the same range as Westbrook's.
Perhaps that could be revisited during the offseason.
Russell Westbrook had the second-most turnovers in the 2021-22 NBA season
For the better part of the season, Westbrook led the NBA in turnovers. The nine-time All-Star had a difficult time fitting into his role with the Lakers and turned the ball over at an incredibly alarming rate.
Although he did a better job at handling the rock towards the end of the season, his early struggles still had a significant impact on his overall numbers. He totaled 295 turnovers to finish with the second-most turnovers of the NBA regular season, eight behind Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young.
Russ was nowhere near the triple-double maestro he used to be this season. Understandably, LeBron James' presence might have been a factor in that. Nonetheless, the all-time leader in triple-doubles was not as impactful as the team needed him to be, with the Lakers ultimately failing to even make the play-in.
Westbrook finished the NBA season averaging 18.5 points (lowest since his sophomore season), 7.4 rebounds, and 7.1 assists. He shot just 44.4% from the field and 29.8% from beyond the arc.
