After the first wave of free agency ended and teams went on vacation following Summer League play in July, four major trade candidates lingered on the market: Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Donovan Mitchell, and Russell Westbrook.
Following another month of rumors, Durant ultimately rescinded his trade request, which seemingly resolved Irving’s situation as well — neither Net is going anywhere, at least for the time being. Mitchell was subsequently sent from Utah to Cleveland, leaving Westbrook as the lone big-name trade candidate who seems like a decent bet to be on the move before training camps open.
The Lakers‘ motivation for seeking a new home for Westbrook has been well documented. The former MVP’s first year in Los Angeles wasn’t a success, as his ball-dominant style and inability to stretch the floor proved incompatible with LeBron James and Anthony Davis during the rare instances when all three stars were healthy and shared the court.
Westbrook also appeared unwilling to take responsibility for his part in the Lakers’ struggles. Despite Frank Vogel‘s insistence on sticking with the point guard, who started all 78 games he played and was part of nearly every closing lineup, Westbrook told reporters at season’s end that he wasn’t given a “fair chance” to be himself and suggested that Vogel had “an issue” with him.
While the Lakers’ disaster of a 2021/22 season made it clear that Westbrook would be on the trade block this summer, his $47MM+ cap hit hasn’t made it easy to find a taker. Los Angeles would love to be able to send Westbrook’s expiring contract to a team in exchange for two or three useful rotation players, but any trade partner open to taking on Westbrook is believed to be seeking multiple first-round picks — at least one for absorbing Westbrook’s salary and another for sending out a couple useful players.
The Lakers only have two tradable first-round picks (2027 and 2029) and have thus far been unwilling to include both of them in any deal that doesn’t involve Irving. The rebuilding Pacers (Myles Turner, Buddy Hield) and Jazz (Bojan Bogdanovic, Mike Conley, Jordan Clarkson, Malik Beasley) remain logical matches for the Lakers, since both teams have the ability to trade productive veterans and absorb Westbrook’s money.
But for a deal to be made, the Lakers will either need to relent and give up both their future first-rounders or convince a trade partner to take just one of them (along with perhaps a couple second-rounders and/or first-round swap rights in another year).
With no indication there has been much traction on the Westbrook trade front, Lakers head coach Darvin Ham and owner Jeanie Buss have been talking enthusiastically about the ways they believe Westbrook can fit and succeed with a new-look 2022/23 Lakers team.
I have no doubt that Ham, a first-time head coach who will bring a fresh perspective to the franchise, genuinely believes he can make it work, but it’s hard not to interpret the Lakers’ optimistic comments to the press as spin — if potential trade partners believe L.A. is OK with hanging onto Westbrook and hoping for the best, perhaps those trade partners will reduce their asking prices to get something done.
With training camps less than three weeks away, we should learn pretty soon how serious the Lakers are about retaining Westbrook. In the meantime, we want to know what you think. Will Westbrook open the season as a Laker or be traded in the coming weeks?
Vote in our poll, then head to the comment section below to share your two cents!
He will. The lakers aren’t gonna find an offer they like with how stubborn they’re being with their picks.
I wouldn’t call it stubborn – I’d call it balking at the prospect of having no draft options as far ahead as 2029 – seven years from now, when LJ and AD will be long gone and all that’s left for the Lakers to retool around will be role players and G League signings.
LeBron won’t be traded – he’ll ride out the two year extension and then sign somewhere as a free agent and in two year’s time who knows what AD’s trade value will be?
I say they add a couple more free agents prior to training camp, see how the team looks and then roll with what they’ve got – even if that means Westbrook gets the Wall treatment halfway through the season.
It’s stubborn, but I never said it wasn’t justified. It is the literal definition of stubborn lol, however they absolutely need to be stubborn because they need those picks.
jbl, the Lakers will still have a first round draft pick every other year between now and 2029.
Thanks, I think I know that but conveniently forgot whilst writing my post, ha!
That’s a rule, right? The league restricting teams from making really, really bad trades.
What happened was back in the ’80s the owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers traded away many of his future first round picks for marginal players. Handicapped the team for a long time. They even decided to give pics back to the new owner of the Cavaliers when Ted stepian sold the team.
So the rule I think is not necessarily preventing bad trades and protecting teams from big mistakes, but just simply that you cannot trade future first round Draft Picks 2 years in a row.
Yes I realize you probably knew all this but just in case someone didn’t. Crazy story.
The rule should be amended to be honest. Every other year is crazy, especially when teams like the Thunder and the Jazz find ways to obtain 47 1sts at a time.
It would make more sense to include 2nd round picks and a total as a whole, i.e. every team must hold onto at least 6 picks every 5 years. And also factor in how many D-League guys are on the roster.
Westbrook needs to be traded asap
The big salary hurts Lakers playoffs chance
They traded for the guy so they’re stuck with him. They won’t dump him because it’s not possible at 47 million dollars and they won’t attach the necessary sweeteners to dump him either. They will sleep in the bed they made with this guy there’s no way around it.
The only way they rid themselves of Russell Westbrook is a standard trade and not a trade to dump his salary. Unfortunately they’re stuck with that.
Stubborn is the last word id use to describe it
They are letting the market play out. Their biggest partner Utah just had it pieces avail for parcel yesterday from the Minny trade
Whether they want to use that for leverage with Indy or see which one suits them better (if any at all) we shall see shortly.
The worst thing they could have done is race into the market before all the dust settled or even got kicked up is a better way of thinking about it (bye bye Bev for Tht ; a trade I really liked for LAL )
The only stubbornness I see is posters wanting to see some action for the sake of seeing some action. I’m not 100% confident in Jeanie but so far she has timed the market out perfect. I mean really for the means had the Lakers went into this offseason with a hope and a prayer….Utah’s 180 has provided a glimmer of hope , the Nets (almost debacle) could have provided fruits …In a way the Lakers got very lucky to even have options based off other teams directions they had no control over themselves. Rushing in woulda killed all that
Letting the market play out? Lmao
Westbrook is so clueless, it’s mind boggling. So egotistical and selfish…. If he doesnt adjust his playing style and attitude asap, he will be OUT of the league soon.
He should be super happy and grateful to be a Laker, and play any role to help the team win. It doesnt matter if you are a backup or sitting in 4th quarter. Do whatever it takes to help the team win and try to stay in LA at all cost. Sign a min vet for the next yr too. If not, career is over.
This is going to be his last big payday. Next season no team will be willing to pay him more than the minimum
The Lakers will more than likely keep Westbrook the first half of the season unless they can get a couple guys like Turner and Buddy from the Pacers. Of course that would mean trading the two available draft picks in 27 and 29, but they WON’T include those two pics just to “dump” westbrook.
Then at the trading deadline with Russell’s expiring contract the Lakers should easily find a team with a couple guys that are not working out that still have multiple years on their deals yet they are very good players. That will be attractive to the Lakers playoff push even though the trading team did not succeed as expected with the two guys they ship out.
Russell Westbrook will be 100% gone by the trading deadline. They will likely start the season with Westbrook but they will 100% not finish the season with him.
I heard that from Bill Simmons podcast long time ago and it makes sense to hold onto Westbrook until then without giving up the 1st rounds. I think you sign Shroeder for 1 yr deal and pay him next season, and have Westbrook stay away from team. It sucks, but it makes too much sense given the Lakers situation. This way Lakers hold leverage to match salaries with worse deals and essentially bail out another team, i.e. Knicks, maybe Pacers. Jazz are in tank mode so they may have already moved their guys before season starts. I still think NY Utah 3way is alternative
Los Angeles Lakers
Owner
Jeanie Buss
General Manager
Rob Pelinka
Head Coach
Darvin Ham
Assistant Coaches
Chris Jent
Phil Handy
Jordan Ott
Schuyler Rimmer
Trainer
Roger Sancho
Starters
SF#6 LeBron James 6’9 250
7’0 wingspan 37 years old
PF#3 Anthony Davis 6’10 250
7’6 wingspan 29 years old
C#31 Thomas Bryant 6’10 250
7’6 wingspan 25 years old
SG#21 Patrick Beverley 6’1 185
6’7 wingspan 34 years old
PG#0 Russell Westbrook
6’3 200
6’8 wingspan 33 years old
Bench
PG#12 Kendrick Nunn 6’2 190
6’7 wingspan 27 years old
SG#15 Austin Reaves 6’5 210
6’6 wingspan 24 years old
SG#4 Lonnie Walker IV 6’4 205
6’10 wingspan 23 years old
SF#95 Juan Toscano-Anderson
6’6 210
6’10 wingspan 29 years old
C#30 Damian Jones 6’11 245
7’4 wingspan 27 years old
SF#7 Troy Brown Jr. 6’6 215
6’11 wingspan 23 years old
PF#35 Wenyen Gabriel 6’9 205
7’1 wingspan 25 years old
SG#10 Max Christie 6’4 190
6’9 wingspan 19 years old
Young developmental pieces
PF Cole Swider 6’9 220
7’0 wingspan 23 years old
College Syracuse
PG Scotty Pippen Jr. 6’3 170
6’6 wingspan 21 years old
College Vanderbilt
C Jay Huff 7’1 240
7’3 wingspan 25 years old
College Virginia
If healthy it’s a good team. I’m not going to trade Russell Westbrook and the 2027 and 2029 First Round Picks for some role players. So I actually think that the Los Angeles Lakers will keep Russell Westbrook all season. They going to be very strong and compete for a championship. LeBron James and Anthony Davis both might still be on the roster in 2027. I don’t think they’ll be around in 2029.
No shooting. Teams will just collapse and wait for the bricks to come off the rim.
Jent is a shooter!
That is why they need to make a trade to acquire shooters
Westbrook is gonna find another team where he’s the dog again. Get another triple double season, get more praise, and fall out of the first round of the playoffs.
A team this rich with a history of so much success should have an exemplary front office. That the current front office seems like a collection headless chickens reflects badly on the ownership team.
If he was 6-9 or 6-10 we’d be talking about him as one of the best forwards of all time.
I would say he’s a top 75 All Time for sure. I’ve never sat down and made a list.
Honestly he should be a starting PG on a team for the next 3/4 years at minimum but his next deal can’t be anywhere near the max. CP3s and Kyle Lowrys contracts make this difficult to say he’s a 20M dude for a 3-yr deal. Also, no one has the cap space to even sign him currently. Things will change between now and the off-season but for him, his best option is to get traded to a team that has him in their future plans anyway.
Mavs could make some sense. Bertans, Hardaway, Kleber for Westbrook and a 1st. Flip Bertans to Utah with a 1st and 2nd for Bojan?
Would the Mavs go that route? Is that better than an Indy deal or straight Utah deal?
absolutely not smart for us
Send him to the kings
If LAL have indicated that they prioritize cap space next off season, and that they’re willing to trade both tradable 1st round picks. I guess that means that they’re looking for multiple expiring deals in exchange for RW’s expiring deal, plus either or both of the 1st’s. That shouldn’t be a hard deal to make, but it’s likely that their options will probably be better mid-year. They wouldn’t be interested in Conley or Clarkson, now or then.
I hear the mid season angle but idk with having a new coach, thats a big (unfair) ask from Ham
Bogs Beasley gets the deal to the front porch, they just need to find that 1 extra expiring –
3 team deal dishing Clarkson out for an expiring (to LA) could be done – Not many expiring’s left thru out the league in the 10~15 mill range necessary tho ; by my accounts qualifiers would be DrOSE TRoss DPowell JRich K Oubre Olknek Favors (dont need C) Burks ..Probably missing a player or 2 but it’s not a huge pool when having to meet all the needs and be in the market for a 3 team trade
I wonder if Utah would do Bogs Beasley Naw and Vanderbelt for RW Christie Wenyen and 2 unprotecteds . I know Vanderbelt has the buzz and has 4.7 linger over to 24 but Lakers would have to be keen to that idea as really thats about as good as it gets (fits so many Laker needs) …If it’s a tad low fuc%# it throw in the 28 swap and just ride hard . No way Danny is passing on 3 unprotected years from a team that should be on the ropes then . Ton of value for Danny there Imo, prolly even an overpay but with no 2nd option (feasible Imo) that could be a deal worth considering for both parties
I would think that if the LAL were to deal the two 1st’s unprotected, they’d have their choice of any expiring deals available at the time. So they could do it now, it’s just the list of expiring deals available for trade increases with each month of the season. Mid-year might be too long to wait, but I don’t see the need to rush that type of deal.
I think adding younger cheaper player(s) who are signed beyond this year (or are RFA with matching rights) makes great sense. They don’t even have to be that much younger really, as long as they’re paid less than the equivalent would need to be in next year’s UFA market, and doesn’t wipe out too much cap space.
But that’s why they asked every person they interviewed, how would you use Russell westbrook?
The only team dumb enough to acquire him is the team he already plays for.
And he might find himself out of the league next season.
You know things are bad in laker land when clueless Jeanie and the lakers are pumping the media full of nonsense about how they are keeping Westbrook. The lakers want Westbrook ad far away from la la land as possible. So far this offseason has been embarrassingly bad, they haven’t acquired a single rumored or decent player.