There’s a very big chance that Russell Westbrook has already played his last game with the Los Angeles Lakers. The former MVP was supposed to have a triumphant homecoming with the team but there didn’t end up being many good moments during his first season. There was concern about his fit when the team first traded for him and those concerns turned out to be justified.
Though the Lakers are the team Westbrook grew up watching as a boy from Long Beach, California, his dream of playing for them has been a nightmare. This past season was the worst of his career and it’s best if both sides move on. Westbrook appears to agree with the notion that he needs another fresh start. Fans on social media recently noticed that he liked an Instagram comment imploring him to leave the team.
Now fans have noticed that Westbrook has deleted all pictures of him in Lakers gear on his Instagram feed.
Interestingly enough, Westbrook’s profile picture still features him wearing his Lakers uniform. That said, it’s still notable that he would go out of his way to delete the pictures on his feed of his current team. The profile picture will likely follow soon.
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Westbrook Forcing His Way Out?
It’s starting become clear that Westbrook doesn’t want to be a Laker going forward. As the season ended, he stated that he was hoping to run it back but that was likely just him trying to say the right things. It would make more sense for him to want out. He’s not a fit on this roster and it can’t feel good to get booed by your hometown crowd more often than not.
Now, Westbrook could make it easy for everybody and just decline his player option. If he does that, he’ll go to free agency and be able to choose his destination. However, he’d be leaving $47 million on the table if he does that. Westbrook is a unique personality so nothing can be ruled out but it’s almost impossible to fathom that he doesn’t pick up the option. He’s never making $47 million a year to play basketball again. The likely outcome is him getting traded.
Does Westbrook Want to End His Career in OKC?
One interesting thing about Westbrook’s social media activity is that he also deleted all the pictures of him in Houston Rockets and Washington Wizards gear. The only team he continues to represent is the Oklahoma City Thunder. That’s also the only team that treated him well during his time there. The biggest reason he was traded from there is that he was ready to move on.
In hindsight, he has to be regretting that decision. He was free to be whoever he wanted in Oklahoma City and the fans loved him. Perhaps the Thunder also miss him and want to welcome him back. Whether it’s through free agency or a trade, the Thunder could be an option for him next season.
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