Jeanie Buss. Russell Westbrook's last ally on the Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers brought Russell Westbrook last season with the hopes that he could be the missing piece the team needed to get back to the NBA Finals. However, Westbrook didn't play at the level that is expected from a former MVP. Now the Lakers are trying to trade him away no matter what, but the latest Jeanie Buss comments might be the reason why Westbrook is still with the Lakers.

Westbrook's numbers last season weren't as bad as the fans made them look. True, they were below the all-star average for his career, but they were serviceable numbers. He averaged 18.5 points, 7.4 rebounds and 7.1 assists in 78 games. The problem is that he couldn't carry the team to the playoffs.

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"All I can say is that, from my point of view, [Westbrook] was our best player last year. He played pretty much every single game, showed up, worked hard… But Russ showed up every game and played hard every night. And, you know, I just really appreciate him for who he is and what he brings to the team," argued Buss in an interview for The Athletic.

The biggest problem for the Lakers last season wasn't Russell Westbrook's downplay, but it was the fact that both LeBron James and Anthony Davis missed a lot of games. If the three players played together for 60 games or more, we could have a different story right now.

Russell Westbrook's possible trades

Despite Jeanie Buss' words, it's more likely than not that Russell Westbrook will end up being traded. He could end up in Indiana in exchange for Myles Turner and Buddy Hield, but he could also be sent to the Jazz in exchange for Donovan Mitchell or a package deal.