After a ton of rumors, the Lakers seem to actually be getting close to acquiring Russell Westbrook in a blockbuster trade with the Washington Wizards.
More than two months after LeBron James and Anthony Davis first followed his wife on Instagram and prompted trade rumors that the Lakers wanted to acquire him, Russell Westbrook might be on his way to being Laker. The 2017 MVP wants to return home to Los Angeles and has asked the Washington Wizards to send him there, according to multiple reports.
The freshly opted in Montrezl Harrell could be on his way out in that package, along with Kyle Kuzma and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, as well as the Lakers’ pick.
The Lakers and Wizards are discussing a trade that would send Kyle Kuzma, Montrezl Harrell, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope for Westbrook, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. The Lakers’ No. 22 pick in the Draft could be in play, too. https://t.co/RQOnlyVnBS
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 29, 2021
Lakers and Wizards are in serious talks on a Russell Westbrook trade to L.A., sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Westbrook has become the Lakers‘ primary focus. He would give them a dynamic playmaker alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 29, 2021
The Lakers are near a deal to acquire Washington’s Russell Westbrook for Kyle Kuzma, Montrezl Harrell, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and a 2021 first-round pick, sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 29, 2021
Can confirm reports Lakers are closing in on deal to acquire Russell Westbrook from Wizards for Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Montrezl Harrell, who opted into his $9.7 million deal. Talks on-going about Lakers’ No. 22 pick in draft/Wizards sending Lakers a 2nd round pick.
— Brad Turner (@BA_Turner) July 29, 2021
Westbrook’s experience & ability to elevate franchises + his LA roots were the appeal for the Lakers. Too good an opportunity o pass up. But as @BobbyMarks42 noted details of this trade can still be changed until 8/6 https://t.co/ombRA8QezG
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) July 29, 2021
UPDATE: NBA insider Marc Stein is reporting that a deal is done, but Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN says it is not:
Triple-Double King Russell Westbrook is headed to the Lakers now that the Washington Wizards have swooped in ahead of Sacramento to take the Lakers’ trade package headlined by Kyle Kuzma and Montrezl Harrell.
Westbrook and the Nationals’ Max Scherzer traded on the same day …
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) July 29, 2021
There’s no agreement in place and work still to do on a Westbrook/Lakers deal, but talks with Kings on a possible Hield deal had also been ongoing between two teams, sources said. https://t.co/FV78eXb1Wh
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 29, 2021
This is a trade Washington wants to make with Bradley Beal in mind, creating some salary cap flexibility for the future to add talent around him, sources tell ESPN. The idea of returning to his Los Angeles roots has been appealing to Westbrook.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 29, 2021
Discussions toward a completed deal are largely centered on the draft compensation that would return to Wizards in the trade — whether deal includes Lakers 22nd overall pick tonight or perhaps second-rounders, sources tell ESPN. https://t.co/FV78eXb1Wh
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 29, 2021
This would obviously be a huge deal, and we will have more news and analysis to come here as it develops. For now, our own Jacob Rude wrote earlier this week about why a Westbrook trade would be good for the Lakers, and I agree with most of this:
That Westbrook is largely a negative or neutral trade asset does not mean he is a negative or neutral player, however. Last season, he averaged a triple-double for the fourth time in the last five years. While the triple-double has lost some of its significance in recent years, it’s still a remarkable feat of productivity by Westbrook. He also helped carry a depleted Wizards team into the playoffs last season with a remarkable second half of the year
…
And for as much as fans love assets, trading for a proven NBA player, which Westbrook still is, sends a clear message to James, Davis and other stars across the league that the Lakers will do whatever it takes to win a title when that window is open. Westbrook is also still a game-changing player. For all his flaws, he’s a player that can enforce his will onto the game, a rare trait among players in the NBA and one the Lakers would love to have. For all the focus on what he can’t do — namely, make threes — there is a lack of focus on all the productive things he can help with, like igniting the team’s fast break and serving as another playmaker to take pressure off of James and Davis.
Westbrook’s contract is also set to expire after the 2022-23 season, the same as James’, meaning the Lakers aren’t sacrificing financial flexibility in the future either. Los Angeles would still be able to head into the 2023 offseason with Davis and a whole host of cap space to land one or two stars as well.
Westbrook wouldn’t be the perfect fit alongside James and Davis, but it doesn’t mean the Lakers can’t find success with him. Each of the last two Lakers teams, non-shooting point guards in Schröder and Rajon Rondo played prominent roles and had success at times, including winning a title with the latter. Neither of those point guards were as talented as Westbrook in other facets of the game, either.
Westbrook would ease the offensive load on James and Davis, giving the Lakers the sort of playmaker they’ve been long-rumored to covet. He would also serve as a capable central hub of the offense on nights when LeBron sits out, and absolutely wreck teams while leading non-LeBron bench units. LeBron’s teams have often struggled when he’s not in the game because their backups can’t replicate what LeBron does. Westbrook, for all his faults, can imitate a poor man’s version of that as well as anyone in the league.
It’s also been clear for a while that the Lakers are not as concerned about shooting as many other teams around the league. Rather than prioritize shooters, it appears they’re doubling down on their identity of athletic, organized chaos and star power. There is something to be said for knowing what you are.
Crucially, and barring some other player being included in a sign-and-trade to the Lakers, this deal allows the Lakers to avoid the hard cap, which could allow them to keep players like Talen Horton-Tucker, Alex Caruso and even Dennis Schröder (although that last one seems unlikely). Still, the Lakers are more flexible with this deal than they would be if they were acquiring a player in a sign-and-trade, and that is a positive.
This would still be a TON to give up, and we’ll see if this gets across the finish line, but at the very least, the offseason just got really, really interesting.
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