The Russell Westbrook experiment in Los Angeles seemed doomed from inception, but things have truly gotten ugly for the Lakers, with LeBron James' career ticking precious time away.
With L.A. sitting 1-5 and Westbrook demoted to a bench role, trade rumors surrounding the former MVP — my, how his stock has plummeted — have swirled heavily, prompting Russell Westbrook next team odds to tempt NBA bettors.
The December 15 moratorium on dealing offseason signees (considered the unofficial start of NBA trade season) seems a long way off for the Lakers. While they ponder their future, let's see who are the favorites as Westbrook's next team.
(Editor's Note: The following odds are reflective only IF Westbrook is traded away from the Lakers.)
Russell Westbrook next team odds
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Indiana Pacers | +150 |
| Charlotte Hornets | +200 |
| San Antonio Spurs | +300 |
| Utah Jazz | +600 |
| New Orleans Pelicans | +800 |
| Phoenix Suns | +1,000 |
| Brooklyn Nets | +1,200 |
Odds as of November 1, 2022.
Russell Westbrook next team favorites
Indiana Pacers (+150)
It's funny how things come full circle sometimes.
Last summer, the Lakers were heavily rumored to be discussing trades with the Pacers, centered around Myles Turner and Buddy Hield. They turned down the immeasurably better-fit proposition and traded for Westbrook instead, and have careened down the standings ever since.
The Pacers find themselves atop this NBA odds market with good reason. They can still offer Hield and Turner, and are a logical destination for Westbrook and the implied attached draft picks as a small-market rebuild.
Indiana has one of the NBA's lowest payrolls and can easily absorb Westbrook's bloated deal, while already rostering a clear alpha in Tyrese Haliburton. The Most Improved Player odds favorite is clearly going to get his reps either way, and if Russ wreaks havoc on their on-court chemistry, they'll only have Wembanyama equity to gain from it.
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Charlotte Hornets (+200)
The Hornets seem to be stuck in that type of purgatory that every NBA franchise should aim to avoid: They're not bad enough to grasp the top-tier lottery talent in each draft, yet also nowhere near contending.
They were dealt a serious one-two gut-punch combo with Gordon Hayward's annual implosions and Miles Bridges turning out to be a monster, leaving them suddenly shallow around LaMelo Ball and Terry Rozier.
Rozier would likely be heading back to the Lakers in any deal, but that would only help the Hornets yield draft equity both this season and long-term via L.A. Again, as a small-market team, this type of long-term asset (the Lakers could have even bleaker prospects post-LeBron) is worth more to Charlotte, as is the chance to bottom out this season.
With Bridges shelved, Hayward likely weeks away from an ankle sprain or something, and almost zero chance of this team winning a playoff series, pairing Melo with a second star through the draft and raising their ceiling seems like Hornets' best play.
San Antonio Spurs (+300)
The Spurs are — if you're noticing a trend here — a small-market team with heaps of cap room that could take on Westbrook without much concern for its wallet or short-term aspirations.
San Antonio's openly tanking for the first time under Pop's watch (or, at least the front office is trying to, they're 5-2 as of writing) and carries a league-low payroll, coming in at a hair below $96 million.
A Spurs deal could center around Josh Richardson, who doesn't really seem like he would move the needle enough for L.A., but it wouldn't be the first time this LeBron/Pelinka regime has done something entirely inane.
