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The scapegoat of the Los Angeles Lakers has always been the reason why the fans are pissed at their organization. Last year, Frank Vogel was the one yanked from his position as the team's head coach, and this season it seems that Russell Westbrook is the individual receiving the most criticism and bashing from the fanbase.
Newly-hired head coach Darvin Ham has experimented with Russell Westbrook as the Lakers' sixth man, and it has been providing terrific success with his production. Westbrook has been improving over the past couple of weeks, but it may seem inevitable for him to be on the move before the trade deadline. With an expiring contract, these are a couple of teams who could utilize Russell Westbrook in various roles on their squad and perhaps pull the trigger on a Lakers trade.
Washington Wizards
Ironically, the franchise wherein Russell Westbrook could thrive is the one the Lakers traded with to acquire him from. The Washington Wizards have been rotating Monte Morris and Jordan Goodwin at the one position, which has been a limited depth chart for head coach Wes Unseld Jr. After Westbrook's departure in 2021, Washington has not filled that void at the point guard position.
There were a plethora of issues with Russell Westbrook earlier in that 2020-21 season, but it took a 360-degree turn when Westbrook and Bradley Beal propelled them to a one-eight matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers. Lottery pick Johnny Davis has not been receiving a substantial amount of minutes, so the Wizards can fix their guard rotation by adding someone like Westbrook once again.
Chicago Bulls
It will be tough for the money to work in this kind of deal, but the Chicago Bulls is one organization that is in dire need of a scorer and energy bunny off the bench. If Russell Westbrook does indeed join this Bulls squad, he will not be starting because Lonzo Ball will be slotted into that position when he is fully healthy. When either DeMar DeRozan or Zach LaVine is taking a breather, Westbrook will be that scoring punch off the bench for around 6-8 minutes.
The pressure will not be as high as it is in Los Angeles for Westbrook because the limelight is not as focused in Chicago. However, the likelihood of him joining the Bulls is by Westbrook agreeing to a buyout with the Lakers and deciding to take his talents to the Windy City. Even if may not win the championship, the Bulls will likely finish with a better showing than the Lakers for the next several years.
Miami Heat
The Kyle Lowry and Duncan Robinson backcourt that was flourishing just a few years ago has not been working out at all for the Miami Heat. With a 4-7 record and 24th in bench scoring, the Heat need a scorer off the bench that will help Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, and Tyler Herro. The depth of this roster is very shallow, so they can utilize Westbrook as the sixth man of this team.
The Heat culture has a chance to rub off on Westbrook, which could be the change that puts him in better positions to utilize his effort properly and execute the plays incredibly. It will be difficult for the money to work unless the Heat are willing to let go of both Lowry and Robinson, so the more reasonable expectation is for him to be bought out as well. It is still early in the season, so Miami may not be entertaining drastic moves yet, but they must at least be interested in Westbrook in a Heat uniform.
