The Los Angeles Lakers are widely thought to be very interested in trading Russell Westbrook, but there are some people who think the team should keep the nine-time All-Star.
Shaquille O’Neal, the great Lakers center, is one of the observers.
He said this while also mentioning how the rest of the squad needs to get younger to compensate for Westbrook’s 33-year-old age and LeBron James’ 37-year-old age.
The Lakers Daily reports
After a wildly disappointing 2021-22 campaign, the team is going to need to make some changes this summer in order to contend next season.
Lakers legend Shaquille O’Neal recently offered his take on how L.A. should approach things. He thinks the team should keep its trio of LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Russell Westbrook intact and add some youth around those guys.
I think they definitely have to get younger,’ O’Neal told Reuters.
So if they can keep LeBron, Russell, and AD, everyone else needs to be very young. You can’t have five or six guys in their upper 30s because the league is getting younger and faster.’“
Most would say that Westbrook’s contract, which will pay him $47 million next season and make it tough for the franchise to strengthen its squad, and the animosity between him and his teammates and coaches, are the most compelling reasons for L.A. to trade him.
The Lakers were also one of the oldest teams in NBA history this season, and their lack of youth and athleticism made it difficult for them to be good, let alone great, defensive club.
