The Los Angeles Lakers sent shockwaves throughout the league when they managed to trade for Russell Westbrook, setting the tone for what ended up becoming a wild free agency period.
Westbrook now joins LeBron James and Anthony Davis in their quest to lead the Purple and Gold back to the mountaintop and claim the storied franchise’s eighteenth championship banner. Today’s NBA is ruled by teams with ample star power and with Westbrook on board, the Lakers have as star-studded a “Big 3” as anyone else in the league.
To make matters even more exciting, Westbrook gets to come home and play in front of his hometown of Los Angeles and has already expressed how excited he is to be back. However, when asked how he envisions his future in L.A., Westbrook noted that the business side handles itself and that he is just grateful for the opportunity.
“My vision, in this league you understand this is a business and through that you just do your job and that’s what I’ll continue to do,” Westbrook said. “As far as the business side of basketball and figuring out where I will be, I wouldn’t imagine that I would be here three or four years ago. It’s just something that I can’t fathom but while I’m here I will compete the best way I know how, give everything that I have, and I’ll let the business side of basketball take care of that.”
Westbrook is under contract for this season and holds a player option for the 2022-23 season, where is due to make just over $47 million. While it is hard to imagine him turning down such an exorbitant amount of money, things change quickly in the NBA and something could happen that sees him skip town.
Regardless of Westbrook’s future with the team, the fact of the matter is he is now a Laker and has arguably his best opportunity to capture his ring. The uber-talented guard is a legitimate game-changer and it will be fun to see him play in the upcoming season.
Russell Westbrook excited to work with the Los Angeles community
While all of the intrigue with Westbrook revolves around his on-court fit, the Los Angeles community is also going to massively benefit as the guard is focused on giving back to the city that raised him.
“That was kind of the most important thing about being back home, being able to inspire and impact people, especially our youth in our communities and especially underserved communities especially in the city of L.A. kind of where I grew up at,” Westbrook explained. “My focus will be giving to the community like it’s always been and I will continue to find ways to uplift our communities as much as I can.”
Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? It’s the best way to watch player interviews, exclusive coverage from events, participate in live shows, and more!
