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The arrival of Patrick Beverley with the Los Angeles Lakers can't bode well for Russell Westbrook. Despite the fact that the Lakers seem to be implying that a backcourt tandem between these two arch-rivals could actually work, all signs are pointing to the notion that Russ could be on his way out of Hollywood sooner rather than later.
For NBA analyst Bill Simmons, however, parting ways with the Lakers wouldn't be the worst-case scenario for Russ. According to the renowned broadcaster, it's actually very much possible that the former league MVP ends up out of the NBA if he's bought out following a Lakers trade:
“If that trade did happen… I think he’s out of the league,” Simmons said. “I’m not saying that in the Skip Bayless way. I just think he’s the rare kind of guy where if you’re a tanking team or a lottery team, why would you bring him in? All he’s gonna do is try to play 40 minutes a game and put up stats and make you more competitive.”
A buy-out would be the likely outcome if a team like the Indiana Pacers or the Utah Jazz end up trading for Russ. He just doesn't fit in with a team that's trying to rebuild.
Simmons also argues that in the scenario that Westbrook gets bought out, not too many teams in the league would be interested to bring him in:
“If you’re a playoff team, I can’t think of a playoff team that he would be additive to,” Simmons said. “He’s not gonna want to come off the bench. He doesn't play defense. He's not really a good shooter.
“None of those teams are gonna want him… If that trade happens and he gets bought out, that might be it for him.”
That's very harsh. Could this actually be the case for Russell Westbrook, though? At this point in his career, has he become such a nuisance that not a single team in the league would want him on their roster?
