At this point in time, it seems like a matter of when, not if, the Los Angeles Lakers are going to trade point guard Russell Westbrook. The risk they took acquiring him from the Washington Wizards did not pan out, and parting ways with him this NBA offseason seems like a move that both parties would benefit from.

Figuring out where Westbrook could land, however, is easier said than done. He showed with the Wizards that he can still have a positive impact on a team, but he needs the ball in his hands to have that kind of impact. We saw during this season with the Lakers that he needs certain circumstances to have a positive impact.

There likely aren’t many teams that are going to be willing to put the ball in his hands full time. Finding a team that can even afford to do that is not easy, as Westbrook’s player option for the 2022-23 season, which he is expected to exercise, is worth $47 million.