Lakers Cannot Allow Weight of Russell Westbrook Decision to Paralyze Them

After a slow start with James and Davis struggling, the factor in the Lakers’ front office who were against trading the team’s two picks before camp now are questioning whether LeBron and AD are still worth giving up the picks.

The argument that’s apparently made the Lakers’ front office even less willing to trade their two available picks is James and Davis appear to be on the decline so far this season and may not be worth giving up the picks. That the Lakers’ front office would be thinking this after just 9 games with James sick and injured and Davis playing great defensively just shows how the heavy weight of the Russell Westbrook decision has paralyzed them.

This continued split between decision makers in the Lakers’ front office is concerning as it creates an environment where the team could easily make a disastrous decision that damages the franchise’s future competitiveness. Nobody knows who’s in favor of trading and whose not but what’s obvious is Lakers’ VP of Basketball Operations and General Manger Rob Pelinka has all but relinquished or lost the right to make the Westbrook trade decision. 

Pelinka did that right before the start of camp when he decided at the very last minute not to trade Russell Westbrook and the 2027 and 2029 first round draft picks to the Indiana Pacers for Myles Turner and Buddy Hield. Claiming that the decision was so monumental to the franchise’s future that everybody involved had to be willing to sign off on the trade was a foolish blunder that’s paralyzed the Lakers’ Westbrook trade efforts. 

Pelinka’s decision to change the process from him simply making the decision as he is paid to do to the entire front office group having to reach unanimity will make it much more difficult for the Lakers to trade Russ. We’ve already seen that the Lakers’ front office group, which includes Rob Pelinka, Jeanie Buss, Kurt and Linda Rambis, and Joey and Jesse Buss, could not come to a unanimous decision to trade for Turner and Hield.

The 2–8 Los Angeles Lakers are rapidly reaching the critical point where the hole in the standings they have dug with the current roster will become so deep there’s no trade that can produce enough wins to dig their way out. Right now, short of a straight trade of Anthony Davis for Kevin Durant, the Lakers may have a difficult time finding a trade that will satisfy everybody in their front office. Right now, they aren’t even talking to any teams.

Bottom line, it’s time for Jeanie to take charge and either tell Rob the decision is his or take it away from him and make it herself. There’s no way the Lakers can intelligently move forward with decision by committee.