Russell Westbrook: I don’t need to feel wanted by the Lakers

Russell Westbrook was wearing a bucket hat, flip-flops and a smile inside the conference room in his Avenue of the Stars offices. Trade talks stalled, training camp on the cusp and Westbrook hardly had to consider the question: Do you feel wanted by …

Russell Westbrook was wearing a bucket hat, flip-flops and a smile inside the conference room in his Avenue of the Stars offices. Trade talks stalled, training camp on the cusp and Westbrook hardly had to consider the question: Do you feel wanted by the Los Angeles Lakers? “I don’t need to,” Westbrook told ESPN recently. “I need to just do my job. Whether I’m wanted or not doesn’t really matter. I think the most important thing is that I show up for work and I do the job like I’ve always done it: Be professional and go out and play my ass off and compete.”

Source: Adrian Wojnarowski @ ESPN

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Kamenetzky Brothers @KamBrothers
ICYMI, Friday’s @LockedOnLakers podcast! With Bogdanovic traded to DET, it feels like the Lakers trading Westbrook is now off the table. Will he be back… and maybe playing off the bench? #FirstListen @LockedOnNetwork @LockedOnNBAPods
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bog… – 5:41 PM
Sam Quinn @SamQuinnCBS
I’ve been tweeting about how the specter of the 2023-24 repeater tax has loomed over Russell Westbrook trade negotiations for weeks now, so I finally decided to write it.
cbssports.com/nba/news/how-t… – 12:57 PM
Kamenetzky Brothers @KamBrothers
Friday’s @LockedOnLakers podcast! With Bogdanovic traded to the Pistons, are the Lakers now officially sticking with Westbrook to start the season? Will he come off the bench? #FirstListen @LockedOnNetwork @LockedOnNBAPods
Subscribe. Rate. Enjoy. Thx!
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bog… – 12:24 PM
Kamenetzky Brothers @KamBrothers
In lieu of a head coach, you know who’s a real “coach on the court” type player, Celtics? Russell Westbrook. Just sayin’. AK – 10:09 PM
Sam Quinn @SamQuinnCBS
My sense at this stage is that if the Lakers were going to trade Russell Westbrook it would have happened by now.
Yea, the Spurs could still fit Russ into their space. It’s just becoming apparent that the Lakers are committed to keeping their picks and 2023 cap space. – 8:08 PM

More on this storyline

Westbrook spoke of getting back to work in the gym sooner in the past offseason than he has ever done in his career, about a summer full of conversations with Lakers coach Darvin Ham, about a “connection” and “trust” with Ham’s vision to utilize him in a way that impacts winning on these Lakers. Maybe that’s as a starter or maybe it’s off the bench. “I’m all-in on whatever it takes for this team to win,” Westbrook said. “I’m prepared for whatever comes my way.” -via ESPN / September 25, 2022
He sure isn’t here to tell you that his and the Lakers’ debacle of a season caused him to have to fight to keep his confidence. “No, I didn’t have to fight that,” Westbrook said. “I had to fight my response on how it affects the people close to me. To me, that was the important part. Confidence is not something I lack. Yes, there were times last season that I wanted to play better — that I should’ve played better — but my confidence never wavers. Having bad games is part of the NBA, and I understand that. The only thing it affected for me was the impact that it had on the people closest to me — my mom, dad, wife, brother, close friends. We’ve never had to deal with that as a family. That was the most difficult thing — being booed in the arena and having my kids there.” -via ESPN / September 25, 2022