Google News Draymond Green defends Lakers for decision to trade for Russell Westbrook
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Draymond Green has defended the Los Angeles Lakers' decision to pursue Russell Westbrook last summer. After the 2020/21 season, the Lakers went all in to acquire Westbrook from the Washington Wizards. A year later, Westbrook and the Lakers seem to be a terrible fit as the Purple and Gold have been trying to move on from Westbrook throughout the entire offseason.
But they haven't been able to find a trade partner so far. According to reports, Lebron James was the driving force behind the Lakers' decision to trade for Westbrook. Green, a four-time NBA champion, was asked whether he believes James really asked for Westbrook.
“Who wouldn’t ask for Russell Westbrook?” Green said, per SLAM magazine. “You’d be out of your mind not to ask for Russell Westbrook”.
Green on the Westbrook-Lakers fit
The Lakers' star trio of Westbrook, James and Anthony Davis didn't figure it out in their first year.
Green thinks Westbrook is aware that the fit has been terrible so far, but added it might work if the Lakers give it another shot. “I one hundred percent think the fit is terrible. I don’t think you could talk to Russell Westbrook right now and [he] wouldn’t think the fit is terrible.
Nonetheless, just because the fit is terrible don’t mean you don’t go for it. Because guess what, if you go for it and it works, then you got a championship”. With the Lakers being unable to find a trade partner, some thinks the Lakers may try to reach a buyout with Westbrook.
But ESPN's Ramona Shelbourne thinks that's not an option as she feels Westbrook would never accept a buyout as that would change how other teams look at him. “Russell Westbrook is not a buyout guy,” Shelburne said during a recent podcast appearance.
“You have to agree to a buyout, and that’s not how he is wired. This is a guy who is very proud, and if you accept a buyout once in your career, you’re seen differently throughout the rest of your career. Russ is Russ because of his swagger and the way he bleeds with it, the way he plays with it.
You can’t retreat from that. You can’t let go of that because that’s what made Russ, Russ — it’s his swagger. If he accepts that, then he’s no longer Russell Westbrook”.
