According to Jovan Buha of The Athletic, NBA teams are demanding the Lakers include a first-round pick in any package to trade Russell Westbrook. (Jovan Buha)
Fantasy Impact
After an awful season with the Lakers that saw Westbrook average 18.5 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 7.1 assists in 78 games on 44.4% shooting en route to a playoff absence, the Lakers have continued to shop the veteran guard. According to reports, the Lakers have continued to show an unwillingness to attach a first in any negotiations and have debated on bringing back Russ for a second season. The Lakers still have the option to buy out Westbrook but would ultimately hurt the 2022-2023 team, which the Lakers are unlikely to do due to having LeBron James under contract and no future asssets.