Westbrook to Wizards for Wall

The Rockets agreed to trade Russell Westbrook to the Wizards for John Wall and a first-round draft pick, ESPN f i rst reported Wednesday night.

The move ends Westbrook’s tenure with the Rockets after just one season. The former league MVP was traded from Thunder for Chris Paul and draft picks in July 2019.

The Rockets had hoped that the 32-year-old Westbrook, above, would be the final piece they needed to win their first title since winning back- to- back championships in 1994-95. But instead were eliminated from the playoffs by the Lakers in the Western Conference semifinals.

Wall, the first overall pick in the 2010 draft, has spent his entire career with the Wizards. He’s a fivetime All-Star.

Also Wednesday, LeBron James agreed to a contract extension with the Lakers.

James’ agency, Klutch Sports, confirmed the deal during the first week of training camp for the NBA champions. The Lakers are still finalizing their new contract with Anthony Davis, who’s also represented by Rich Paul.

James’ extension is a two-year, $85 million deal through the 2022-23 season. The four-time NBA champion is getting the maximum deal to extend his tenure in Los Angeles, where he moved two seasons ago after his second stint with his hometown Cavaliers.

James’ previous contract ran only through the upcoming season with a player option for 2021-22, allowing the third-leading scorer in league history to become a free agent next summer if he chose. Instead, James committed to play through his 20th season with the Lakers, where he moved in 2018 after title-winning tenures with the Cavaliers and Heat.

James turns 36 years old in four weeks, but the 16-time All-Star’s level of play hasn’t dipped even slightly after 17 seasons in the league.

Davis and James teamed up last season to win the franchise’s 17th championship in the bubble in central Florida.

James will make more than $39 million this season and more than $44 million in the final year when he will turn 39 years old.