NY Knicks: The Pros and Cons of a Russell Westbrook Trade

Two of the NBA’s most valuable franchises‘ aren’t having seasons as planned.

Both the NY Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers have struggled this season.

New York is 17-19 at the time this is being written, sitting at 10th place in the East and fighting for a play-in spot.

Los Angeles Is 18-19 and in 7th place, a tier below the elite in the West.

(For starters, they’re both wishing they went for DeMar DeRozan.)

The Lakers took a swing for the fences this offseason, trading Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Kyle Kuzma, Montrezl Harrell, and a first-round pick to the Washington Wizards for Russell Westbrook.

Should the NY Knicks trade for Russell Westbrook?

Looking to take some ball-handling pressure off of LeBron James, the Lakers went all in their efforts to win a 2nd title in the LeBron James era.

It was the third time Russ has been traded in so many seasons, and so far it’s been a mixed bag in Los Angeles.

He continues to put up numbers and has taken a lot of Point Guard duties away from LeBron, as the Lakers have started using James at Center in Anthony Davis’ absence.

But Lakers fans’ frustration with Westbrook comes from his lack of defense and the prolific ability to turn the ball over. He can’t be blamed for all of the Lakers’ struggles, but the club has reportedly held internal conversations about finding a trade partner.

New York made one move last season at the trading deadline for Derrick Rose.  Should the Knicks deal for another former MVP Point Guard?

While Kemba Walker has shown signs of life since returning to the starting five, his knee issues have flared up again and it doesn’t look like he’ll be able to play a high volume of minutes going forward.

Deuce McBride has looked great in limited appearances, but it’s not the time to hand over the offense to the young rookie.

Is the Triple-Double King the solution to New York’s woes?

Hear me out.