Could the Lakers trade for Russell Westbrook?

With Russell Westbrook wanting off the Houston Rockets, could he end up with the Los Angeles Lakers?

Let’s face it, you were hoping for some NBA drama following the Finals. After a lull in news, a bombshell was dropped on Wednesday evening by the one and only Shams Charania of The Athletic. According to his report, superstar point guard Russell Westbrook wants off the Houston Rockets just one year after the team acquired him from the Oklahoma City Thunder. Before this update, there was buzz that Westbrook wasn’t fond of the direction the Rockets were heading in, especially after the departures of head coach Mike D’Antoni and general manager Daryl Morey.

Now, the talk dominating the sports world has been which team will acquire Westbrook from the Rockets. Of course, when a star is on the block, everyone thinks of the Los Angeles Lakers. We’re here to tell you not to hold your breath.

Westbrook to the Lakers is unfeasible

The Lakers are an unlikely destination for Westbrook for one reason: finances. Back in 2017, the Thunder signed Westbrook to a five-year, $205 million extension, which came a couple months after clinching the NBA MVP award. Entering this offseason, Westbrook still has $131. 5 million owed to him over the next three years. Specifically, Westbrook is set to make $41.4 million this upcoming season.

That salary doesn’t work for the Lakers. Superstar LeBron James is on the books for $39.2 million for the 2020-21 campaign, so that’s already a huge chunk of change. To further complicate things, big man Anthony Davis is reportedly expected to re-sign with the Lakers this offseason, which won’t come for cheap. Even if the Lakers trade away some of their talent, they still can’t afford to take on his cap hit.

What further eliminates the Lakers from the Westbrook sweepstakes is the role he wants on his next team. In that deep-dive report from The Athletic, Westbrook told Rockets officials that he wants to join a team where he can be a floor-general, the very role he played with the Thunder. Come on, you already know that role in Los Angeles is LeBron’s, and he’s not surrendering it.

Sorry Lakers faithful and fans who root for pure chaos, Westbrook isn’t heading to Los Angeles to don the purple and gold. You can expect him to end up on a team like the New York Knicks or Charlotte Hornets, the latter of whom are reportedly the favorites.