Russell Westbrook wary of the stigma that comes with accepting a buyout

Westbrook is a prideful man. His swagger is both his sword and his shield, and he will not lay them down lightly. He is wary of the stigma that comes with accepting a buyout, one source close to him explained. But he also still believes he can contribute to a team at a high level.
Source: Ramona Shelburne @ ESPN

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Brandon Rahbar @BrandonRahbar
After watching the Lakers for 2 1/2 hours, LA shouldn’t be throwing Russell Westbrook under the bus, they should be throwing Russell Westbrook apologies from Jeanie Buss. – 12:59 AM

Brandon Rahbar @BrandonRahbar
The OKC Blue leads Russell Westbrook’s 2022 teammates after the 1st quarter. – 11:11 PM

Mike Trudell @LakersReporter
With LeBron, AD, Westbrook and Anthony out, LAL’s new starting lineup has had some good stretches these last two nights, but the end-of-bench group has struggled.
OKC took a 7-point lead late in the 1st Q before Gabriel and Ellington stopped a run with B2B 3’s. – 11:06 PM

CBS NBA @CBSSportsNBA
Russell Westbrook trade rumors: Hornets a team to watch in potential deal for Lakers guard, per report
cbssports.com/nba/news/russe… – 10:05 PM

Mike Trudell @LakersReporter
Vogel said Davis, Westbrook and Anthony haven’t been ruled out for Sunday’s finale at Denver. LeBron’s already out, due to the ankle. – 8:56 PM

Ryan Ward @RyanWardLA
Frank Vogel says AD, Melo and Westbrook have NOT been ruled out for Sunday yet. – 8:55 PM

StatMuse @statmuse
Russell Westbrook last 10 games:
22.2 PPG
7.4 RPG
7.1 APG
52.1 FG%
41.5 3P% on 4.1 attempts
Finished the season strong. pic.twitter.com/IhheX2NVDc – 6:43 PM

Brandon Rahbar @BrandonRahbar
LeBron missed 1/3 of the season.
AD missed 1/2 of the season.
Westbrook only missed 1 game until LA was eliminated.
That game: LeBron & AD both played and lost to the tanking Blazers.
Russ put up 18.5/7.4/7.1 on the season.
Yet Westbrook is getting all the blame. Come on. – 5:16 PM

Brandon Rahbar @BrandonRahbar
LeBron James, Russell Westbrook, Anthony Davis and Carmelo Anthony are all out vs OKC tonight.
Thunder’s lottery odds are in the hands of the new Lakers Big 3: Talen Horton-Tucker, Malik Monk and Austin Reaves. – 2:35 PM

Joe Mussatto @joe_mussatto
LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Russell Westbrook, Carmelo Anthony and Kendrick Nunn are out for the Lakers tonight. – 2:31 PM

Ryan Ward @RyanWardLA
LeBron (out for the season), AD, Westbrook and Melo are out again tonight for the Lakers’ final home game: pic.twitter.com/NcqEFniqug – 2:28 PM

Emiliano Carchia @Sportando
Lakers have not ruled out the possibility of using the waive-and-stretch provision on Westbrook sportando.basketball/en/lakers-have… – 9:42 AM

More on this storyline

One option: Westbrook considering a buyout of the final year of his contract, but at least for now, sources close to the 2017 MVP expressed pessimism he would do that. -via ESPN / April 9, 2022

The Lakers were reluctant to incentivize a trade for Westbrook by adding in their 2027 first-round pick at the trade deadline, especially when they have so few future draft assets to trade following the acquisition of Davis in 2019. Sources said they are similarly disinclined to tie up their salary cap in the future via a waive-and-stretch provision after finally completing the waive-and-stretch deal for Luol Deng this season -via ESPN / April 9, 2022

The Lakers, league sources say, have not ruled out simply parting ways with Westbrook via the waive-and-stretch provision. A straight release of Westbrook that essentially transforms his mammoth player option for next season into what lives on their books as a three-year deal in the $15 million range annually would move the Lakers out of luxury-tax territory and make it far easier for them to retain free agent-to-be Malik Monk, who at times has unexpectedly appeared to be the Lakers’ most dependable player not named LeBron James throughout a nightmarish 31-48 campaign. Facilitating Monk’s return might be reason enough for the Lakers to go this route and is expected, league sources say, to be under consideration. -via marcstein.substack.com / April 7, 2022