Russell Westbrook has been touted with a move away from LeBron James and the Lakers for a while, but a new real estate move may point otherwise.
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The Westbrook – LeBron – AD pairing and their poor start has dominated the early NBA headlines. The star trio has failed to get along on the court and a coaching change doesn’t seem to have changed that.
Last season’s failings and a $47 million salary package made Westbrook the obvious scapegoat among the trio. And this was made evident, with Westbrook’s name constantly being thrown around in trade talks.
However, there are a few complications here. For starters, Russell Westbrook seems to have literally bought into the fact that he will be in LA for a while.
With no trade materializing, and the Lakers also hinting at another attempt with the big three, Westbrook seems to have taken another step to settle himself in La La Land. The star point guard has dipped into the LA real estate market to get a new home.
How expensive was the purchase Russell Westbrook made to acquire his new LA home?
Westbrook appears to have committed to a $37 million purchase for his new home in LA. As they say, happiness begins at home, and Westbrook sure shall hope this is the start of something pleasant in Laker land.
Brodie’s purchase also comes with an additional caveat – it makes Westbrook and LeBron James, neighbors. The stars hadn’t quite aligned for the two superstars and a link-up in the neighborhood might improve things. Or at least, that is exactly what the Lakers hope can come from this move by Russ.
Russ apparently purchased it from Formula 1 royalty, Petra Ecclestone in a blockbuster deal worth $37 million. The move has netted Ecclestone a neat profit of $14 million in a mere 3-year span.
While Westbrook’s stay with the Lakers has been as financially profit-bearing as Ecclestone’s, the damage to reputation hasn’t been kind. The Brodie must really hope this sparks a revival in form and fortune heading into what can turn into a grim situation soon.
How bad is the situation with the LA Lakers and Westbrook right now?
As stated earlier, the circumstances haven’t been kind to Westbrook and the Lakers. Darwin Ham’s appointment as head coach was welcomed but the outcomes haven’t changed.
Most of last season’s problems remain unsolved and potentially worse too. The premier issue to be discussed here, is their atrocious shooting record. As a team, the Lakers appear to have forgotten to train for that part of the game.
The Lakers are the worst shooting team in the NBA right now. Even last season, shooting was identified as a fatal flaw – and yet there seems to be a worse shooting team than the previous iteration.
Westbrook hasn’t helped the Lakers’ shooting woes either. As their guard, Russ has shot at an abysmal rate including putting up a 0-point stinker to start the season. With that, Westbrook has almost become unplayable in lineups with LeBron and AD.
Incapability or refusal to adapt has also hurt Brodie. All said, it hasn’t been a fruitful relationship for anyone involved. Neither has Westbrook gotten the love he craved from LA nor are the Lakers keeping a star point guard who demanded respect in the league.
On and off the court, Russell Westbrook and the Lakers have failed to meet eye-to-eye. Both parties are on borrowed time, and new house or not, we might see a change soon.
Will Westbrook see a change in fortunes or be a part of Laker’s changes? When will the Lakers and Russ throw the towel on this relationship? Various questions remain to excite a neutral fan in the 2022-23 season.
