The Lakers are unlikely to make a trade involving Russell Westbrook today and are focusing more on smaller deals involving “fringe starters,” ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said during an appearance on Get Up this morning (video link).
A Lakers team source previously told Dave McMenamin of ESPN (video link) that he would like to see the club “rip the bandaid off” by moving Westbrook, but doing so will be extremely difficult.
“With $47 million due to him next season, there’s just not a marketplace to do that,” Wojnarowksi said, referring to Westbrook’s pricey player option for 2022/23 that no team will want to take on. “The Lakers have shown a real reluctance to incentivize a deal, meaning add draft picks to it. They have picks that are still going out in other deals. At what point do you stop just completely mortgaging your future for deals that probably don’t result in all of a sudden you having a championship contender? And now you’ve just dug yourself a deeper hole.”
As Wojnarowski points out, the Lakers’ problems run deeper than just Westbrook. The former MVP didn’t play on Wednesday due to back tightness and L.A. still lost to a retooling Portland team missing several players. Rather than trying to trade Westbrook, the Lakers are exploring the market for ways to improve the roster around him, says Wojnarowski.
“Right now, the deals the Lakers are really looking at, they’re around the fringes,” Woj said. “Players like Alec Burks in New York, Dennis Schröder in Boston. Any number of role players, of fringe starters, that they might be able to cobble together the assets to get. But the idea of a Westbrook trade? Listen, nothing’s impossible, but I think it’s highly unlikely.”
An earlier report stated that the Lakers, Knicks, and Raptors had discussed the framework of a three-team trade that would involve Burks. However, Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter link) hears from one party with interest in the situation that those talks were stalled as of Thursday morning.
Schröder, of course, was formerly a Laker before leaving as a free agent during the 2021 offseason to sign with the Celtics. Bill Oram of The Athletic reported earlier this week that Schröder had some interest in returning to Los Angeles as Westbrook’s backup last summer, but the team brought in Kendrick Nunn to fill that role instead. Nunn has yet to make his Lakers debut due to a knee injury.
It’s not going to work with Westbrook. Trade for wall. It might not work but it’s clear this team as currently constructed isn’t going anywhere.
Rockets asking price is too high
Lakers should keep all future picks in case they need it in summer or in future deal
Because Rockets can maybe get rid of Wall next season, while nobody will want an annoying player with a bad influence in the locker room like Westbrick.
Can the Lakers trade Pelinka for 10 Baketballs?
he was doing a good job before LeGM took over
let me fix that headline for you. Nobody wants to trade for Westbrook so he is staying a Laker. Problem is for Lakers no trade will make them any better so they should hold onto their draft pick.
Yeah, that’s the problem for the Lakers. The only deal out there is for Wall IF they give up that pick. If they won’t, there’s no deal. Other teams aren’t just going to do them a solid and take Westbrook off their hands. That’s 47m dollars.
It was a foolish deal to acquire him from the start, and now they pay the price.
Look at that, lakers trying to get another player they let walk for free this offseason.. shocker
Westbrook will be bought out next year or LA will take a slew of salaries back so the next team buys him out. Nothing can be done this season with him.
Good move by LAL. They likely don’t have enough assets to either move RW or upgrade; and certainly not both. Even addition by subtraction adds only so much. They’ll have more options next year when its an expiring deal. Until then, grin and bear it.
I hope Westbrook stays because I am all for a guy redeeming himself. I’m tired of dudes not playing well and immediately just getting traded away. Maybe Westbrook will start playing better knowing that he doesn’t have to worry about trade rumors , etc.
The problem with Russ is he isn’t a winning basketball player. The dude absolutely plays hard, but he’s an effort guy and stat padder. He’s best suited as an attraction on a rebuilding club just to sell tickets. He’ll give you a triple double, and he’ll make losing somewhat entertaining to the fans. At this point, that won’t change.
I’d sat Russ is more of a scapegoat..
Lakers issues are old heads with bad knees and no depth
Knicks and maybe Thunder are the Lakers only hope
How much input did LeBron James have into the Lakers current roster? People say he shouldn’t be blamed but if he’s the one that wanted all these players on the Lakers team along with all the dysfunction his choices have brought and wrought then he should be partially responsible for the Lakers being a joke of a team. Maybe LeBron should stop trying to be the General Manager and let Pelinka do his job.
he definitely influenced this roster .. no doubt about it
Lakers have no draft picks to trade and no one is taking Westbrook’s contract. This team is stuck. No cap room, terrible contracts and no draft picks.
Getting a couple of “role” players is merely changing the lightbulbs on the Titanic right before it hits the iceberg.
all they have is Nunn and THT.. package them together for maybe one solid role player
Russ for Dinwiddie and Bertans.
Wizards know Russ and him and Beal actually played well together. They get rid of Bertans terrible contract and also get THT for the future.
Lakers get Dinwiddie who they hope will be more productive than Russ. At the minimum, he will shoot better, probably play better defence, and not turn the ball over as often. Bertans deal is a terrible one to take back but unfortunately that’s just Russ’s value. But atleast he’s a stretch big that could possibly play or otherwise his contract is easier to move.
Lakers line up
1. Dinwiddie. Bradley/Nunn
2. Monk. THT
3. Ariza. Bazemore
4. James. Melo
5. AD. Howard
Would then try flip Bertans and THT for Heild and Thompson. Pacers are willing to buy Thompson out and look happy to take on Heilds 22mil 3 year contract. Maybe they would take on Bertans 16mil by 4 years and get THT who could be handy in the rebuild.
Thus leaving you with
1. Dinwiddie. Bradley/Nunn
2. Monk. Heild. Ellington
3. James. Ariza. Bazemore
4. AD. Melo
5. Thompson. Howard
That actually looks a lot better on paper for LeBron James. Got his old mate Tristan Thompson back, AD is happy at the 4, Dinwiddie is a more reliable point guard, doesn’t turn the ball over and can do some secondary playmaking. Heild as a bench scorer and floor spacer. Still loads of depth options and no terrible contracts and you keep your first round pick.
Sad but it’s actually not a bad trade for the Lakers. Bertans would be easier to move too. Maybe even a 3 team deal for someone the lakers would send out a 1st for.
I don’t think they’d trade THT and their 1st is what I meant to add in there.
Yeah my two proposed deals include them keeping their first but dealing THT.
I definitely think it’s worth it.
To go from Russ and THT to Dinwiddie Heild and Thompson