LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Russell Westbrook Recently Met To Discuss Teaming Up

[RealGM Wiretap]

Russell Westbrook met with LeBron James and Anthony Davis approximately two weeks ago at the house of James to discuss the possibility of playing together with the Los Angeles Lakers, according to Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times. The Lakers and Washington Wizards agreed to a trade of Westbrook shortly before the draft on Thursday.

Westbrook talked about how his only intention is to return home to Los Angeles and become a champion. James and Davis talked about changing positions, playing more minutes at power forward and center, respectively, to accommodate Westbrook.

Westbrook attended Lawndale Leuzinger High School and then two seasons at UCLA. Westbrook will be on his fourth team in four years. Westbrook has two years left on his contract, $44.2 million for next season and $47 million for the 2022-23 season.

Shams Charania and Fred Katz of The Athletic reported that Westbrook formally informed the Wizards of his wish to be traded recently and that he preferred a deal to the Lakers.

Via Broderick Turner/Los Angeles Times

[tigerae]

You would think some of these reporters were in the room with the players while they were talking. I like how they come up with scenarios, like Westbrook's only intention was to come to Los Angeles. Crazy.

[hyberx]

Even if true, nothing wrong with this at all. Players talk all the time. Russ is a walking triple-double who never wins on his own (just like LeBron), so good luck to them.

[LavieG]

Even if true, nothing wrong with this at all. Players talk all the time. Russ is a walking triple-double who never wins on his own (just like LeBron), so good luck to them.

Name one, only one player that could win or ever did win a ring all by himself.
Anyhow, I do not think that Westbrook will seriously help winning another Championship.
Lakers should have put more on the table trying to get Lillard.

[bkseven]

Even if true, nothing wrong with this at all. Players talk all the time. Russ is a walking triple-double who never wins on his own (just like LeBron), so good luck to them.

Name one, only one player that could win or ever did win a ring all by himself.
Anyhow, I do not think that Westbrook will seriously help winning another Championship.
Lakers should have put more on the table trying to get Lillard.

It's a team game obviously. Discussed many times. Superstars colluding, on the other hand... Lol

[hyberx]

Even if true, nothing wrong with this at all. Players talk all the time. Russ is a walking triple-double who never wins on his own (just like LeBron), so good luck to them.

Name one, only one player that could win or ever did win a ring all by himself.
Anyhow, I do not think that Westbrook will seriously help winning another Championship.
Lakers should have put more on the table trying to get Lillard.

The point is winning with his own team that builds around him, not teaming up with two more franchise players to form a super team. MJ did it, Curry did it, Giannis did it, LeBron never did.

[Winsome Gerbil]

So much for Giannis resetting the culture.

Luckily Father Time is going to reset the culture here very soon, and 2 of those 3 won't even be in the league in 5 years. Might be the breath of fresh air the league needs.

[bqmuzik]

You would think some of these reporters were in the room with the players while they were talking. I like how they come up with scenarios, like Westbrook's only intention was to come to Los Angeles. Crazy.

Right? Too funny.

LA players are obsessed with returning home tho. I moved from California almost 20 years ago and am perfectly content in the midwest. I admire my Clippers from afar but I have no desire to move back there.

[cheese318]

So much for Giannis resetting the culture.

Luckily Father Time is going to reset the culture here very soon, and 2 of those 3 won't even be in the league in 5 years. Might be the breath of fresh air the league needs.

Remember when Gary Payton/Karl Malone joined the Lakers. But that wasn’t viewed in the same regard it is if it happened today. Lakers are adding a player no one wants nor think they can win a title with so it’s kind of ridiculous. When the Nets added Harden that made it a three piece band. And let’s stop acting like MIL beats BRK if they were healthy. MIL just got lucky

[12footrim]

I think Westbrook paired with those two is a horrible horrible fit. If I were a lakers fan I'd much rather have Heild for Kuzma and Harrell and kept KCP and even resigned Schroder. Players picking the teams is like the construction foremans deciding on engineering plans. I don't think they are as qualified especially when they have friendships or are to close to see the bigger picture of fit.

[tsirigoj]

I think Westbrook paired with those two is a horrible horrible fit. If I were a lakers fan I'd much rather have Heild for Kuzma and Harrell and kept KCP and even resigned Schroder. Players picking the teams is like the construction foremans deciding on engineering plans. I don't think they are as qualified especially when they have friendships or are to close to see the bigger picture of fit.

As a Laker fan, no, it's not a great fit, but I'm EXTREMELY happy.

With the Lakers, you always have naysayers and "the sky is falling" crowd, but LeBron and AD can, essentially, play with anyone, and this takes A LOT of burden off of LeBron (making longevity potential even greater).

Everyone is acting as if this is the only move the Lakers can possibly make. Obviously they are going to go and get shooters now, and if the reports are correct, MANY veteran players are hoping to jump on the Laker bandwagon.

[imDatknicksTape]

Lebron trying his best to tamper and league wont do anything about it. I guess rules are rules.

[art_tatum]

Wait isnt this tampering? Westbrook is still under contract.
I guess the lakers have nothing to do with it.
Never mind this is just like the wade bosh situation

[12footrim]

I think Westbrook paired with those two is a horrible horrible fit. If I were a lakers fan I'd much rather have Heild for Kuzma and Harrell and kept KCP and even resigned Schroder. Players picking the teams is like the construction foremans deciding on engineering plans. I don't think they are as qualified especially when they have friendships or are to close to see the bigger picture of fit.

As a Laker fan, no, it's not a great fit, but I'm EXTREMELY happy.

With the Lakers, you always have naysayers and "the sky is falling" crowd, but LeBron and AD can, essentially, play with anyone, and this takes A LOT of burden off of LeBron (making longevity potential even greater).

Everyone is acting as if this is the only move the Lakers can possibly make. Obviously they are going to go and get shooters now, and if the reports are correct, MANY veteran players are hoping to jump on the Laker bandwagon.

It's a horrible fit. What are you going to get these players with, the minimum and your mini mid level. That's all you got. Plus you passed up on Kyle Lowry to keep Horton Tucker so they are about to over pay him so he's to to play too since you are paying him and he's a freaking horrible shooter too.

[Years90Suns]

So Lebron believes Westbrook is the best option he has to help him (ehem, the team) win a ring and then the next day goes to the GM (or the GM is summoned to his house) to tell him to make a trade to get Westbrook (and the GM answers "yes, Sir" after doing his best to close his mouth, opened in astonishment) and the GM gets down to work?

Or LBJ already orchastrated this with the agents and the GM only has to sign the papers in a few days?

How can someone be president of basketball operations, gm, extreme black activist, coach, actor (sic), point guard and power forward to be all at the same time?

[tigerae]

Even if true, nothing wrong with this at all. Players talk all the time. Russ is a walking triple-double who never wins on his own (just like LeBron), so good luck to them.

Name one, only one player that could win or ever did win a ring all by himself.
Anyhow, I do not think that Westbrook will seriously help winning another Championship.
Lakers should have put more on the table trying to get Lillard.

The point is winning with his own team that builds around him, not teaming up with two more franchise players to form a super team. MJ did it, Curry did it, Giannis did it, LeBron never did.

LeBron did it. In Cleveland, that team was garbage without LeBron. How many years in a row did they get the number 1 pick? Kyrie was fun to watch, but couldn't lead the team anywhere, not even to the playoffs.

LeBron also took a team with Mo Will, Delonte West and Big Z to the Finals. Took the Warriors to 6 games when both Love and Kyrie were out. Won a championship with completely different types of players as his Robin with DWade, Kyrie and AD. Different coaches and systems to boot. MJ and Kobe couldn't do it without Phil Jackson. They didn't even get close without Phil.

Curry couldn't even get his team to the playoffs without Klay. He's a great player, but not in the same conversation.

Giannis and his Bucks along with the Suns had the perfect storm of injuries to the Sixers, Nets, Lakers, Clippers and Nuggets to allow them to make it to the Finals. Giannis could, down the line, be in the greatest of all time convo after a few more championships, but no there yet. Best player in the league now, with LeBron and KD older, maybe, but even that he will have to prove again next year to earn that title after winning back to back.

Some teams have to build, the hard way, to get there. Drafting players and hoping it works out. But even then, those team need the right players around their picks who turn to superstars. For your example, the Bucks, without Jrue and Tucker I don't see them going deep last season.

Many superstars moved and won championships, that doesn't make them any more or less great. Kareem, Wilt, Shaq, KG, etc.

[Johnny Bball]

So Lebron James colludes again and breaks every tampering rule again. Just wow. And of course nothing will happen.

[tsirigoj]

I think Westbrook paired with those two is a horrible horrible fit. If I were a lakers fan I'd much rather have Heild for Kuzma and Harrell and kept KCP and even resigned Schroder. Players picking the teams is like the construction foremans deciding on engineering plans. I don't think they are as qualified especially when they have friendships or are to close to see the bigger picture of fit.

As a Laker fan, no, it's not a great fit, but I'm EXTREMELY happy.

With the Lakers, you always have naysayers and "the sky is falling" crowd, but LeBron and AD can, essentially, play with anyone, and this takes A LOT of burden off of LeBron (making longevity potential even greater).

Everyone is acting as if this is the only move the Lakers can possibly make. Obviously they are going to go and get shooters now, and if the reports are correct, MANY veteran players are hoping to jump on the Laker bandwagon.

It's a horrible fit. What are you going to get these players with, the minimum and your mini mid level. That's all you got. Plus you passed up on Kyle Lowry to keep Horton Tucker so they are about to over pay him so he's to to play too since you are paying him and he's a freaking horrible shooter too.

RW doesn't need to be a shooter. He needs to be a facilitator, which the 12 assists per game last year says he's capable of being.

You don't need to get a single piece to fill all the holes on your team. Lakers will get shooters, and there are shooters to be had at the MLE.

Kyle Lowry is 36 years old, and an aging PG is not the answer for the Lakers right now.

[br7knicks]

If there's one person who knows he can't lead a team, and needs to secretly form a super team in order to be successful, it's LeBron James.

[br7knicks]

Even if true, nothing wrong with this at all. Players talk all the time. Russ is a walking triple-double who never wins on his own (just like LeBron), so good luck to them.

Name one, only one player that could win or ever did win a ring all by himself.
Anyhow, I do not think that Westbrook will seriously help winning another Championship.
Lakers should have put more on the table trying to get Lillard.

Giannis did it just a few weeks ago