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June 28, 2022 / 1:21 PM

Lakers' Russell Westbrook to opt into $47M option for 2022

Los Angeles Lakers guard Russell Westbrook is entering the final year of his contract with the franchise. File Photo by Aaron Josefczyk/UPI

Los Angeles Lakers guard Russell Westbrook is entering the final year of his contract with the franchise. File Photo by Aaron Josefczyk/UPI | License Photo

June 28 (UPI) -- Los Angeles Lakers guard Russell Westbrook plans to exercise his $47.1 million player option for 2022.

Sources told ESPN, Yahoo Sports and CBS Sports about Westbrook's decision Tuesday. Westbrook, 33, averaged 18.5 points per game last season, his lowest total since 2009-10.

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The 14-year veteran joined the Lakers last August in a trade from the Washington Wizards. Westbrook averaged 22.2 points, 11.7 assists and 11.5 rebounds per game in 2020-21 for the Wizards.

He also averaged a triple double for his 2016-17 NBA MVP campaign and the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons, while with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Westbrook's decision to opt into the final year of his contract comes a day after the Lakers were reported to have mutual interest in a potential acquisition for Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving. Irving then announced late Monday that he also plans to exercise his $36 million player option for 2022.

The NBA's contract option deadline is at 5 p.m. EDT Wednesday. The NBA's free agency period starts at 6 p.m. Thursday.

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