Big day of deals with Westbrook, James

The Rockets traded Russell Westbrook to the Wizards for John Wall and a draft pick, and LeBron James extended his contract with the Lakers.

The Houston Rockets have agreed to trade Russell Westbrook to the Washington Wizards for John Wall and a first-round draft pick, two people familiar with the deal told The Associated Press.

The people spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity Wednesday because the deal, which was first reported by ESPN, hadn’t been announced.

The move ends Westbrook’s tenure in Houston after just one disappointing season. Westbrook was traded from Oklahoma City or Chris Paul and draft picks in July 2019.

The Rockets had hoped that the 32-year-old Westbrook 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 in Washington. He’s a five-time AllStar.

JAMES GETS EXTENSION » LeBron James has agreed to a contract extension with the Los Angeles Lakers.

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

Rich Paul.

The Los Angeles Times reported 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 reportedly committed to play through his 20th NBA season with the Lakers, where he moved in 2018 after titlewinning tenures in Cleveland and Miami.

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 averaged 25.3 points and led the NBA with 10.2 assists per game last season before winning the NBA Finals MVP award while beating the Miami Heat in a sixgame series.

The Lakers are returning this winter with a roster that looks even better than last season’s group, with veterans Dennis Schröder, Montrezl Harrell, Marc Gasol and Wesley Matthews joining the rotation.