Before the 2021 NBA Draft even began, the Los Angeles Lakers had shaken up the basketball world after news came down that the team was nearing a trade for superstar point guard Russell Westbrook. Not long after the draft got started, it was reported that a deal had been agreed upon for the former regular-season MVP.
Westbrook has been on the move multiple times in recent years but spent last season with the Washington Wizards. Though the team dealt with many issues all season long, Westbrook showed he still had plenty left in the tank, averaging a triple-double for the fourth time in five seasons and helping Washington make the playoffs.
While he spent just one season in Washington, Westbrook was still thankful for the Wizards and the city of Washington DC for embracing him and thanked them all in a recent Instagram post following the news of the trade:
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Following his lone season with the Houston Rockets, there was a lot of talk about whether Russell Westbrook was still amongst the NBA’s elite. However, despite his faults, Westbrook delivered another outstanding season, and the way the Wizards embraced him and Washington DC as a whole meant a lot to him. Westbrook is an extremely loyal person, and that franchise was behind him 100% during his time there.
Over the years, the Lakers have done extremely well in treating all of their players. If you are a Laker for even just one season, then you are family for life, and they act as such, from the top of the franchise with Jeanie Buss and Rob Pelinka down to all of the players and coaching staff.
The ultimate goal for the Lakers is always a championship, which Westbrook has yet to accomplish in his illustrious career, but both team and player plan to make that change in 2022.
NBA to Implement New Rules Regarding Non-Basketball Moves
When Westbrook joins LeBron James and Anthony Davis on the Lakers next season, some rule changes will happen in the NBA. The league will reportedly be implementing new rules to limit non-basketball movements to draw fouls.
In recent seasons, it has been a point of contention as players across the league have begun finding new ways to draw fouls in every situation, making life impossible on defenders and extremely difficult for officials. So now the league is putting rules into place to end one of its quickest growing trends.
