Lakers still determined to trade Russell Westbrook
The Los Angeles Lakers seem more determined by the day to trade Russell Westbrook. Will they pay the price of a few first-round picks?
For some time this summer, the Los Angeles Lakers seemed to be set on retaining point guard Russell Westbrook. Things have changed since.
Lakers wouldn’t trade two firsts in Westbrook deal
A few days ago, the Lakers engaged the Indiana Pacers on trade talks involving swapping the former NBA MVP for Myles Turner and Buddy Hield. However, these talks came to a quick end due to the Lakers refusing to include a second first-round pick.
The Pacers believed they should get two of the Lakers’ available first-round picks, one in exchange for Turner and Hield and the other for taking on Westbrook’s troubling contract. But the Lakers weren’t on the same page.
John Wall could’ve swapped for Westbrook
Not to mention that L.A. had already turned down last season’s opportunity to swap Westbrook for John Wall, reluctant with attaching a pick to a deal, and refusing to offer up a future first-round pick to the Houston Rockets.
While Westbrook is still around after exercising his $47.1 million player option to return to LA for the 2022-23 season last month, it is clear that the Lakers are hoping to trade the 33-year-old. The new coaching staff in LA has been honest with Westbrook about having to adjust his role if he aspires for a prominent role on the team. And frankly it doesn’t seem that Westbrook would thrive as the caliber of defender the Lakers want him to be.
The nine-time NBA All-Star didn’t have encouraging defensive film and metrics last season with an obvious athletic decline on the defensive end and an offense that ranked him 55th out of 91 point guards.
Trading Westbrook isn’t easy
The Lakers and other NBA teams are well aware that having Westbrook on their team isn’t a walk in the park, especially with his character flaws and massive contract. But with an unfortunate 2021 season, and an aging James, it might be best to accept a trade like Turner and Hield, and find other ways to compliment the king’s talents for the final few seasons left in his career.