3 “bad contracts” the Boston Celtics could consider trading for
By Mark Nilon
Boston Celtics trade target No. 3) Russell Westbrook (2-years, $91.2 million)
Ok I know, I know, I know but, like… hear us out for just one hot second.
Recent rumblings suggest that there seems to be trouble in paradise between the Los Angeles Lakers and Russell Westbrook, so much so, in fact, that the franchise reportedly showed some “covert interest” in moving on from the point guard earlier on this year, per Sam Amick of The Athletic (subscription required).
If these words are true, then there’s a chance that Rob Pelinka and co. are still potentially interested in breaking up the band (namely, Westbrook) considering the fact that LA sits just one game over .500 and, frankly, even when this team has been completely healthy they’ve been an odd fit alongside one another (again, namely Westbrook running with LeBron James) and, if they are, then maybe it may be in Boston’s best interest to at the very least inquire about the former MVP’s availability.
At this point in his career, and with the failed experiments that have transpired over his past three consecutive seasons, it almost certainly wouldn’t take a whole lot to get a trade done for the triple-double king. In all honesty, sending players that match his salary while also arguably fitting better with the Lakers’ scheme may be all that it would take, assuming they are actually looking to trade him.
And, from Boston’s perspective, bringing on Westbrook from solely a talent perspective could make some sense.
He’s a stat-sheet stuffing contributor who can play the role of third-star and floor general alongside the Jays. On top of this, despite his lacking fit in Los Angeles, with the Celtics he could be a solid addition considering they need a major upgrade in their scoring (16th in the league) and distribution (23rd in assists) games.
On the year, Westbrook is still producing stellar per-game averages for a likely non-All-Star, posting 19.5 points, 8.1 assists, 8.1 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game on 45 percent shooting from the floor.
At a buy-low trade price — and we mean low — Russell Westbrook could actually be an interesting option worth considering for the Boston Celtics.
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