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Lakers tentatively agree on trade that would land former NBA MVP Russell Westbrook, report says

By KJ Hiramoto
Published  July 29, 2021 5:38pm PDT
Los Angeles Lakers
FOX 11

Reported Russell Westbrook trade not only exciting for Lakers but also a huge win in the community

The reported Russell Westbrook trade is not only exciting for Los Angeles on the court but also a huge win off the court.

LOS ANGELES - Former NBA MVP and Long Beach native Russell Westbrook is reportedly coming home.

According to a report from ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the Lakers have tentatively agreed on a trade with the Washington Wizards that would send Westbrook to Los Angeles. 

In an earlier report from ESPN's Wojnarowski, the Lakers planned to send Kyle Kuzma, Montrezl Harrell and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and a 2021 first-round pick to Washington in the proposed Westbrook trade. It is unclear if this is the exact trade package that both teams ultimately agreed upon.

Westbrook, who turns 33 in November, was named MVP following the 2016-2017 NBA season and has been named an All-Star nine times in his decorated NBA career. He finished the 2020-2021 regular season once again averaging a triple-double with 22.2 points per game, 11.5 rebounds and 11.7 assists.

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The former UCLA Bruin averaged a triple-double over the course of an entire NBA regular season three different times prior to the 2020-2021 campaign.

With the reported trade, Los Angeles would part ways with Kyle Kuzma, who was the longest-tenured Laker on the roster heading into this offseason. Kuzma, 26, finished the 2020-2021 regular season averaging 12.9 points and 6.1 rebounds but was under heavy scrutiny on social media after averaging only 6.3 points and shooting a field-goal percentage of just under 30% (17.4% from the three).

Harrell, who turned 27 in January, only suited up for one season with the Purple and Gold. He averaged 13.5 points in the regular season, coming off the bench in 68 of 69 games in 2020-2021. Caldwell-Pope, 28, played four seasons with the Lakers, averaging 9.7 points per game in the previous regular season.

It is worth noting, however, that NBA teams can not make trades until August 6 so the deal is technically not official as of Thursday, July 29. Teams are allowed to sign, re-sign and trade players starting August 6. With that in mind, neither the Lakers nor the Wizards are expected to make formal announcements of the tentatively agreed deal until then.

While the trade is not yet official, Lakers legend Magic Johnson appears ecstatic on the reported deal surrounding Westbrook.

As NBA teams continue to pretend this trade isn't a thing, Westbrook took to social media to thank the Wizards and the D.C. area.

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