NBA Rumors: Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook Headed To The Lakers?
Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
There’s no franchise in the NBA more desperate to turn things around than the Los Angeles Lakers. The once-dominant Western Conference heavyweight has gone from being a perennial title contender to arguably one of the worst teams in the league.
With superstar Kobe Bryant calling it a career after the 2015-16 NBA season, the Lakers brass will be targeting another star to replace their face of the franchise this summer. One-time NBA MVP Kevin Durant will become an unrestricted free agent in July with the Lakers expected to be one of the teams in the league to pursue the perennial All-Star aggressively.
Apparently, the Lakers may have a decent shot at signing Durant this summer with the prospect of Russell Westbrook coming to Los Angeles in 2017. ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith talked about Durant coming to the Lakers along with Westbrook in an appearance on ESPN 710’s Mason and Ireland via Examiner.com:
“Keep in mind this, one of the biggest reasons I’m told, that Kevin Durant may have the Lakers at the top of his list, is because the Lakers have been led to believe, by whom specifically I do not know, but the Lakers have been led to believe that it is a very good chance that the following year Russell Westbrook is coming.”
Durant will be the biggest name on the free-agent market this summer with many teams expected to express interest in signing the 27-year-old forward. Along with the Lakers, the Washington Wizards, Oklahoma City Thunder, and New York Knicks will likely try to lock up the superstar long-term.
As for Westbrook, there’s no telling what the future holds for the triple-double machine. Westbrook has emerged as one of the best all-around players in the league over the last few years, and some argue he’s surpassed Durant in many ways.
If Durant does end up leaving Oklahoma City, Westbrook will have one year, potentially half a season if the team trades him before the trade deadline, as the number one option for the Thunder. Westbrook may like being the spotlight without having to share it with Durant, but at the same time, may find it harder to compete in the West without his star teammate.
At this point in the 2015-16 NBA season, the Thunder are among the few teams in contention to win it all, according to Sportsbook.ag. Oklahoma City currently sits behind the Cleveland Cavaliers (13/4), San Antonio Spurs (3/1), and Golden State Warriors (20/27) with 17/1 odds to win the 2016 NBA championship.
