The Russell Westbrook experiment has all but failed. Barring a miraculous turn of events in the league's final quarter that sees the team getting in the playoffs by the skin of their teeth and somehow putting it all together, the Los Angeles Lakers are going to fall way short of the expectations many had for their team. Just don't ask Russell Westbrook about that.

With the clock ticking on LeBron James' storied career, there's a sense of urgency every season to maximize the superstar play that he has left. That means that the Lakers look like they're no longer willing to go through the same dance again with Russell Westbrook, and looks like neither is he.

In a recent report from NBA insider Marc Stein via his SubStack, a second season for Russell Westbrook in purple and gold is deemed “impossible” as tensions continue to rise between him and the front office.

Jousting with reporters in press conferences is apparently not the lone source of pushback these days from under-fire guard Russell Westbrook. There has been no shortage of defiance behind the scenes, I'm told, when coaches and teammates have tried to broach changes in role or approach with the former MVP.

For all the obvious complexities involved in trying to move Westbrook when he's owed a whopping $47 million next season at age 34, one league source described the idea of bringing him back next season as “impossible” based on current tension levels. The question then becomes: If the Lakers can’t construct a palatable trade, do they try to just buy Westbrook out? Or waive and stretch him?

You know it's bad when you're thinking about stretching one of the top five highest-paid players in the NBA. The massive cap figure that Russell Westbrook eats up severely limits the team's potential trade partners, which they felt first-hand during the NBA trade deadline when rumors first swirled about a potential move.

Perhaps the Lakers could revisit trade talks with the Houston Rockets for John Wall. Philadelphia 76ers forward Tobias Harris is another moveable player on a huge deal, but there's very little chance Sixers president Daryl Morey wants to pair James Harden with Russell Westbrook yet again.

The monster cap hit Westbrook has is just a near-impossible trade piece when it's tied to a player whose on-court production is as unpredictable as it is. Teams don't want to be on the hook for close to $50 million for a point guard that brings as much baggage as Russ does and whose fit with others is far from plug-and-play ready.

Assuming the Lakers get backed into a corner with no trade partner in sight, the potential move to waive Russell Westbrook would severely handcuff the Lakers financially. They're still paying off Luol Deng's stretched deal in 2018 this season for approximately $5 million. Westbrook's deal is more than three times as large as Deng's was.

If the reports are true, then by hook or by crook Russell Westbrook is out in LA. How it happens remains to be seen.