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Reports: Los Angeles Lakers acquire Russell Westbrook from Wizards

A blockbuster trade right in the middle of the NBA Draft as the Lakers traded for former NBA MVP Russell Westbrook.
Credit: AP
Washington Wizards guard Russell Westbrook, right, shoots as Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James watches during the second half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Feb. 22, 2021, in Los Angeles. The Wizards won 127-124 in overtime. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Lakers have reportedly traded for 9-time All-Star point guard Russell Westbrook. 

Stadium's Shams Charania first reported the negotiations between the Lakers and Washington Wizards for Los Angeles to send Kyle Kuzma, Montrezl Harrell and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to the Wizards in exchange for Westbrook.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski first reported the deal also includes L.A.'s first round pick in Thursday night's draft.

Westbrook gives the Lakers that dynamic third piece to become a "big three" with LeBron James and Anthony Davis. 

Westbrook was left out of the All-Star Game this past season but still averaged a triple double on the season with 22 points, 11.5 rebounds and 11.7 assists per game. Westbrook, 32, was an All-Star nine times between 2011 and 2020 and won the MVP in the 2016-17 season.

This will be Westbrook's fourth team in four seasons after he was traded to the Rockets by the Thunder in 2019 and then traded to the Wizards by the Rockets in Dec. 2020.

Westbrook also becomes the first NBA MVP to be traded in four consecutive offseasons.

The Lakers drafted Kyle Kuzma in 2017. The 25-year-old averaged 16 points a game in his rookie year and nearly 19 points a game in his second year. He averaged just under 13 points per game in each of the past two seasons.

Caldwell-Pope, 27, has played the last four seasons in Los Angeles but averaged less than 10 points last year. Harrell came off the bench for the Lakers and averaged 13.5 points in 69 games but the 27-year-old played a very limited role in the Lakers' playoff series against the Suns including two DNPs and very limited minutes. 

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