Russell Westbrook is in an awkward position right now. Coach Darvin Ham wants him around, but it seems like his teammates aren't as excited. LeBron James is reportedly pushing for a reunion with Kyrie Irving, and that's got to take a toll on their chemistry.
Westbrook fired his agent after he urged him to embrace a lesser role with the Los Angeles Lakers rather than pursue a trade. That's also a clear sign that he's not happy in L.A. and would rather have a fresh start somewhere else.
Also, reports of tension between him and LeBron during Summer League games surfaced, further complicating the situation. That's why both James and Anthony Davis decided to take action to try and make amends.
NBA News: LeBron James, Anthony Davis Reach Out To Russell Westbrook
(Transcript via Chris Haynes)
"The Los Angeles Lakers’ Big 3 of LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook huddled up on a phone conversation the first weekend of NBA Summer League in Las Vegas with each expressing their commitment to one another and vowing to make it work, league sources told Yahoo Sports.
While the uncertainty of Westbrook’s future with the Lakers remains, the conversation was organized to make sure all three were on the same page as long as they’re joined together in their pursuit of a championship, sources said."
The Lakers are still trying to swap Westbrook for Kyrie, yet they refuse to include multiple draft picks in any potential deal. So, they need to make sure they can still make things work together if they're unable to move him.
The situation is far from ideal, clearly. But Westbrook also needs to be at his best if he wants to drive his trade value up. He'll be a free agent at the end of the season and unlikely to sign a long-term contract ever again, so this might be his final shot to silence his critics.
