Wealthy Paul referred to as Stephen A. Smith to debunk a latest report that claimed Klutch Sports activities was upset over the Lakers not dealing Russell Westbrook for Rockets guard John Wall on the commerce deadline.
“Wealthy Paul referred to as me yesterday and requested me to cite him on the story about him and Klutch Sports activities and primarily them wanting the Lakers to commerce Russell Westbrook and a first-round decide to Houston for John Wall,” Smith stated throughout ESPN’s “First Take” on Monday.
“He needed me to state emphatically that there was completely, positively no fact to that by any means. He by no means did that. He didn't do this.
“The individuals who wrote the story by no means contacted him to get any type of perspective from him on that. It's an absolute lie and he stated, ‘May you please do me a favor and quote me and inform the world that I particularly stated that’s a rattling lie. It’s no fact. It by no means occurred.’”
The struggling Lakers remained stagnant on the NBA commerce deadline on Feb. 10, regardless of a number of experiences that claimed Westbrook might be on his manner out. The primary-year Laker has been in a scoring lull for weeks, leading to a number of stints on the bench late in video games.
Wall, in the meantime, has but to play a single recreation this season with Houston. The 31-year-old level guard agreed to sit down out the 2021-22 season, with the rebuilding Rockets to play their youthful expertise. Wall didn't play in 2019-20 on account of an Achilles damage.
Westbrook’s taking pictures numbers have plummeted this season. He’s at present taking pictures 43.7 p.c from the sector and 29.9 p.c from deep.
The 27-31 Lakers acquired Westbrook final summer time to kind a Huge 3 with LeBron James and Anthony Davis. As an alternative, they're at present the No. 9 seed within the Western Convention, which might qualify them for the play-in match if the playoffs started at this time. The postseason begins on April 16.
Though James is taking part in at an MVP stage, the Lakers proceed to take care of their Westbrook woes and accidents.
Davis suffered a proper ankle sprain within the first half of Los Angeles’ 106-101 win in opposition to the Jazz final week. The crew stated he can be re-evaluated in 4 weeks.
Davis had already missed 17 straight video games from December to late January with a sprained MCL in his left knee.
The Lakers host the Clippers (30-31) on Friday.
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