Russell Westbrook desires the Lakers to commerce him.
If that wasn’t apparent earlier than, it’s been made crystal clear by his now-former agent, Thad Foucher, and the statement he gave Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN to clarify why he’s now not Westbrook’s agent:
In a press release, Foucher mentioned: “I represented Russell Westbrook for 14 years and am happy with our partnership which included a extremely profitable 2008 draft, a super-max contract and the one renegotiation-and-extend max contract in historical past. I additionally supported Russell all through his rise right into a outstanding trend business determine and lately orchestrated three successive trades on Russell’s behalf — culminating with the commerce to his hometown Los Angeles Lakers.
“Each time, teams gave up valuable players and assets to acquire Russell – and each time, a new organization embraced his arrival. We did it together with grace and class.”
In and of itself, not one of the above could be notable. It’s cordial and respectful sufficient, however it’s what comes subsequent that makes it plain the place Westbrook stands, and what his distinction of opinion with Foucher is that’s resulting in their separation (emphasis mine):
“Now, with a chance of a fourth commerce in 4 years, {the marketplace} is telling the Lakers they need to add further worth with Russell in any commerce situation. And even then, such a commerce could require Russell to instantly transfer on from the brand new group by way of buyout.
“My perception is that this kind of transaction solely serves to decrease Russell’s worth and his best choice is to remain with the Lakers, embrace the beginning function and assist that Darvin Ham publicly supplied. Russell is a first-ballot Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame participant and can show that once more earlier than he’s retired.
“Unfortunately, irreconcilable differences exist as to his best pathway forward and we are no longer working together. I wish Russell and his family the very best.”
If Westbrook’s agent of 14 years — somebody who has possible heard what different groups would supply him by way of function and future prospects — is saying that he thinks the most suitable choice for Westbrook is to remain with the Lakers, and they’re separating as a result of they disagree… then that makes it fairly clear that Westbrook is pushing arduous to go away the Lakers.
It is unclear why Foucher selected to go public like this, or whether or not he give up or was fired, however when Westbrook and LeBron James couldn’t even fake to be cordial at a nationally televised summer season league sport final week, it was pretty apparent that neither wished to proceed collectively. Still,, that is as express as we’re possible ever going to listen to it with out the usage of nameless sources. A press release like that is very, very irregular, and I’m not optimistic I may even keep in mind a scenario something like this occurring earlier than in latest NBA historical past. That Foucher got here out and laid this out so plainly to get forward of this information publicly ought to inform you all you could find out about simply how far about how far dug in Westbrook is on seeing a Lakers exit as his finest path ahead.
Luckily for him, the sensation is fairly clearly mutual. Less luckily for all events concerned, there haven’t been plenty of takers on Westbrook but. We’ll see if that adjustments because the offseason progresses, however on the very least, now we all know the place Westbrook stands, and that this doesn’t look like a scenario the place he’s going to come back again, purchase in, and fortunately run it again. Now it’s as much as the Lakers to determine how one can deal with that. And even much less luckily for everybody, within the wake of this assertion, their leverage in such a deal has by no means been decrease.
Update 1: After this story first printed, Westbrook’s Twitter likes appeared to recommend he disagrees with Foucher’s characterization of their break up.
Update 2: Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times reported a couple of minutes later that Russell Westbrook has by no means requested the Lakers commerce him.
Multiple sources inform the @latimes that Russell Westbrook has by no means requested a commerce from the Lakers.
— Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports activities) July 16, 2022
To a point, that may be a matter of semantics, however price noting nonetheless.
Stay tuned…
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