Russell Westbrook Trade Rumors: Lakers Tuning out Skeptics and Insist They'll Keep PG

The Los Angeles Lakers plan to keep Russell Westbrook.

The Lakers are telling anyone who will listen that they won't give up any more assets to trade for Westbrook.

The expectation is that the Lakers will exercise the $47 million player option on the star point guard before he becomes a free agent.

L.A. acquired the Washington Wizards' point guard as part of a trade that sent Montrezl Harrell, Kyle Kuzma and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to D.C.

The Lakers missed out on the playoffs despite the hope that they would get the third star they needed, as they went a disappointing 33-49 and missed the playoffs just two years after winning a championship.

James and Davis missed a lot of time because of injury, but that didn't help the situation.

Much was expected of the nine-time All-Star, one-timeMVP and future Hall of Famer, but he ended up averaging just 18.5 points per game, his lowest scoring output since his second season.

It was only the second time in seven seasons that he averaged fewer than 10 assists per contest, as he averaged just 7.1 assists per game this season.

He turned the ball over 3.8 times per game and shot just 44.4% from the field.

In his only season with the Wizards, he averaged a triple-double with 22.2 points, 11.5 rebound and an NBA-leading 11.7 assists per game.

If James and Davis stay healthy, there isn't a lot of hope that the Lakers will contend for a championship with Westbrook as a key player on the roster.

If all three remain on the payroll, the Lakers will not be able to make splashy moves in the off-season.

If the Lakers are unwilling to part with other assets, then it is hard to imagine him playing for another team next season.