LA Lakers Rumors: James Harden, Russell Westbrook Going To Los Angeles?
LA Lakers rumors just turned jaw-dropping. Fresh Lakers rumors suggest James Harden and Russell Westbrook could head to Los Angeles over the next few NBA seasons. A report from ESPN on Wednesday (July 1) explored how alluring it is to play in Los Angeles, and that all the team needed was to have a marquee big man to help lure other players. It could certainly be a formidable team again if Harden and Westbrook decided to join forces again. The executive explained his thoughts in detail.
“They just need one big guy to go there, and the rest will follow. I expect [Russell] Westbrook and [James] Harden to join forces there when they become free. It definitely still has allure. It’s still L.A., and they are still the Lakers. No free agent can question whether or not they will spend the money to win titles.”
Now it would certainly take a lot for these LA Lakers rumors to actually lead to something tangible. Russell Westbrook has two more years on his contract with the Oklahoma City Thunder, and James Harden is under contract with the Houston Rockets through the 2017-18 NBA season. Both players are relatively young, though, so it’s likely to assume they each have (at least) one more huge contract coming in their careers. Kevin Durant is a free agent after next season, and if he were to leave Oklahoma City, Westbrook might not be too far behind.
As previously reported by the Inquisitr, several teams are planning to push for Kevin Durant in the 2016 NBA offseason. One of them is the Miami Heat, with the front office already hinting at wanting to acquire him. The New York Knicks have also expressed interest, but there are likely half a dozen other NBA franchises that would also like to sign him to a long-term deal. Among them is an Oklahoma City Thunder team that absolutely cannot let him get away in free agency. If he did, that might just open the door for Westbrook to walk through it as well.
As made obvious by LeBron James leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers, Dwight Howard leaving the Orlando Magic, and LaMarcus Aldridge leaving the Portland Trail Blazers, there aren’t many superstars anchored to one city for their full careers any longer. While these LA Lakers rumors about teaming up Russell Westbrook and James Harden again may seem far-fetched, it would actually make sense in how the NBA has begun to look. For now it’s just chatter, but it could certainly pick up momentum in the next offseason.
[Image Source: Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for 2K Games]
