Lakers News: With His Lakers Future TBD, Russell Westbrook Vows To Let His Game Do The Talking

Here's hoping we like what it has to say.

Long Beach native Russell Westbrook enjoyed a competent showing in his first 2022-23 preseason action for his hometown team, your Los Angeles Lakers. He performed well given that, just hours before, news had leaked that he was almost traded last week to the Indiana Pacers for Myles Turner and Buddy Hield. Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times notes that the team was hesitant to surrender both its unprotected 2027 and 2029 future first-round picks in an outgoing deal, which eventually paused the Indiana trade.

In the game, a 105-75 loss to the Sacramento Kings (although L.A. led 46-41 in the first half before resting its vets for the second), Westbrook scored five points on 2-of-3 shooting, dished out three assists and grabbed two boards during 14:41 minutes of action. Thankfully, he played within himself when it came to his shot selection: the 30.5% career three-percent shooter did not even attempt a triple Monday night.

Westbrook, who turns 34 next month, talked after the contest about playing through the building trade buzz. It should be noted that throughout the summer, the 6'3" point guard made some moves that seemed to indicate he, too, would like for the Lakers to trade him (parting ways with his agent of 14 years because of a fundamental disagreement about his Lakers future, not greeting All-Star teammate LeBron James at a Summer League game, etc.). 

“I’ve got an unbelievable support system, family, leaning on my faith," Westbrook said of how he stays in the moment on the court. "Everything else will take care of itself. So, all summer, my whole life, I’ve been hearing the stories about myself. That’s not going to change today. So, nothing new for me. I’m going to continue to keep my head down, focus on competing. And everything else will take care of itself.”

Westbrook has of course been traded every year since 2019, though before now, he has been the asset teams were acquiring. If an exchange happens this season (which feels likely), L.A. will need to attach some level of future draft equity to get off Westbrook's $47.1 expiring salary.

First-year Lakers head coach Darvin Ham praised Westbrook's approach to the trade speculation and chatter thus far, and noted that he has been trying to improve his off-ball game.

“Any outside noise, that’s par for the course,” Ham said. “I mean, it comes with the business. But he’s a Los Angeles Laker, the last time I checked. And I’m really not mad at that. And he showed tonight, like, he’s gonna thrive in this system.”