Lakers rumors: Russell Westbrook’s career is in danger

It was a quick fall from grace for Russell Westbrook. The former NBA MVP was considered one of the best players in the league just a year ago. After a season with the Los Angeles Lakers, the guard’s opinions couldn’t go down.

The team has been trying to trade it back since before last season’s trade deadline. They are now actively trying to trade it in this season. The problem is that no one wants it. In fact, the Lakers will only have to attach assets so the team can get Westbrook out of their hands.

The goalkeeper still has talent and could be an influential player in the right role. However, he has never proven that he is ready to accept a lower role. Unless he proves he’s willing to make big sacrifices, ESPN’s Tim Bontemps believes Westbrook’s career may come to an end after the season.

“He may be out of the league after the Lakers,” Bontemps said. Podcast “The Hoop Collective”.

Fellow ESPN teammate Tim McMahon went further and said the Dallas Mavericks are one of the teams that have already made up their mind about Westbrook.

“Dallas said no hell when asked about signing Ross… he can play with the ducks in China,” McMahon said.

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Is Westbrook’s career really in danger?

Bontemps was not wrong in his assumption that Westbrook’s career was at stake. He proved last season with the Lakers that his presence can make the team worse, not better. Not many teams will participate in this experience.

Westbrook will never elicit a maximum contract again, but he is in grave danger of not being able to secure any. He can still be an effective player, but there aren’t many teams eager to sign players who have just put up empty stats. He has one last chance to prove he can turn his game around this season. Westbrook is stubborn as far as it comes, so it’s hard to believe he’ll change until he actually proves it.

Westbrook compared to Allen Iverson

Westbrook is far from the first superstar to either have to change his game or end his NBA career early. Allen Iverson is the easiest comparison you can make. Similar to Westbrook, he won the MVP award and was amazed with his athletic ability on the basketball court. However, he was never a selfless player who would make great sacrifices to win.

As a result, Iverson’s career ended relatively early in comparison to his star power. Kendrick Perkins, a former Westbrook teammate at the Oklahoma City Thunder, thinks the guard could head down the same path as Iverson.

While things are bleak for Westbrook, it’s not impossible that he’ll be able to reinvent himself. Carmelo Anthony, Westbrook’s Lakers teammate last season, had to accept a similar reality just a few years ago. He spent years as one of the best players in the NBA but teams didn’t want him once he stopped playing as a star. Before that, he became a player. Thanks to this, he extended his career. Westbrook could do the same but it would be hard to convince him.

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