They had to say something about Russell Westbrook.
Good, bad or indifferent, that’s the beauty of NBA media day. Players, coaches and executives get asked questions about the various issues that surround their team — some of them mundane and some of them, well, downright awkward. And make no mistake, this Westbrook situation with the Lakers qualifies as the latter.
So LeBron James said so emphatically that the Westbrook experiment could “absolutely” still work in Laker Land, Anthony Davis pointed to improved health and new coach Darvin Ham as reasons he still had hope in the “three-headed monster” plan they all hatched the summer before. Heck, Westbrook’s former nemesis, Patrick Beverley, even deemed the 33-year-old his new “best friend.”
If only it were all that simple.
As The Athletic reported in mid-September, the choice not to trade Westbrook (for now) has had more to do with the Lakers’ love of their limited draft capital (first-round picks in 2027 and 2029) and their long-term plan than any sort of affinity for the future Hall of Famer who is set to make $47 million in the final season of his deal. General manager Rob Pelinka made that much known during his time at the practice facility podium on Monday, when he reiterated the organization’s commitment to maximizing James’ later years while also shedding light on the difficult decisions that come with such a responsibility.
Give Pelinka credit for the candor. While he covered his tracks by indicating that he wasn’t talking about any particular Laker being in such a trade (wink, wink), he pulled the curtain back on their internal process more than most executives typically would.
“If you make that trade, it has to be the right one,” Pelinka said. “You have one shot to do it. So we’re being very thoughtful around the decision on when and how to use draft capital in a way that will improve our roster. And again, as I started that question by saying, we are committed to doing everything we can to put the best team around LeBron — as long as it’s a smart trade.”
Pelinka wisely balanced the honest analysis with more than enough Westbrook praise to keep these tricky personal dynamics manageable for the moment. It was the same sort of tack taken by Lakers owner Jeanie Buss in late August, when she raved about Westbrook in the kind of way that almost made you forget how brutal the latest Lakers season had been.