“Russell Westbrook or no, the Nets would beat the Lakers in a 7 game series”: Kevin Durant still holds the edge over his former OKC teammate and LeBron James

Russell Westbrook made headlines recently as he was traded to the LA Lakers, a city where the former league MVP grew up.

Westbrook was born in Long Beach, California, in 1988. The 9x NBA All-Star played college basketball for UCLA. Brodie usually came off the bench during his freshman year.

After 2-years with UCLA, Westbrook decided to forgo college and take his talents to the NBA. The point guard was selected as the 4th overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft by the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Recently, the former league MVP grabbed headlines as he was traded to the LA Lakers, joining forces with LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

HomeTeam.

WHYNOT? pic.twitter.com/6VCectkUnH

— Russell Westbrook (@russwest44) July 30, 2021

Westbrook became the first-ever MVP to be traded in back-to-back consecutive off-seasons. However, this time the triple-double machine was returning to his hometown in LA.

Also read: “LeBron James, Russell Westbrook, and Anthony Davis are guaranteed to win”: Kendrick Perkins explains why Lakers are the best in the NBA

The internet has been divided about the Lakers’ recent move. While some feel they will definitely win the chip next season, others feel ball usage and chemistry might be an issue.

The Brooklyn Nets still hold the edge over the LA Lakers

Both the respective teams have a Big 3. However, the Nets did give us a glimpse of their chemistry last year. Despite their Big 3 only playing a handful of games together, the Nets looked like an offensive juggernaut when they played.

James Harden had clearly stepped up in his new role of point guard for the Nets. The 3x scoring champion proved everyone wrong who said that he lacked play-making skills and always needed the ball in his hand.

Harden averaged 24.6 PPG, 10.9 APG, and 8.5 RPG in the mere 36 games he played before succumbing to a hamstring injury. Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving performed exceptionally as well.

It’s too early to say if the Lakers would be able to share the ball as well as the Nets. Since Westbrook and LeBron James have always been the go-to players on their respective teams, they are considered strong personalities.

The Lakers’ Big 3 are not as efficient shooters as the Big 3 of the Brooklyn Nets. The Nets are probably one of the best offensive teams ever assembled in the history of the NBA.

When it comes to bench strength, the Nets are definitely ahead of the Lakers. The Nets bench boasts of talents like Jeff Green, Mike James, Bruce Brown, and Deandre Jordan.

On the other hand, the Lakers recently got rid of most of their bench strength. To get Westbrook on the roster, the Lakers had to part ways with Kyle Kuzma, KCP, and Montrezl Harrell.

Also read: “Russell Westbrook thinks that the Lakers are his team despite the presence of LeBron James!”: Skip Bayless makes a ridiculous claim about the new LA star ahead of next season

It will be interesting to see these super teams square off against each other at some point in the upcoming season. However, an NBA Finals between the two would not only skyrocket television ratings but would be great box office as well.