Realistic Steps the Lakers Can Take to Land Russell Westbrook

Delay Trading For Westbrook This Season

Many are sold on the fact that a Westbrook trade is required immediately for fear that the organization won’t stand a chance to land him next free agency. Hell, Kevin Durant and Hassan Whiteside wouldn’t even take a meeting with the team this year.

However, unless Westbrook gives the Thunder extremely specific demands, which seems unlikely, trading for him at this stage is a gamble at best. While I’m not sure of the legality of this is, with Westbrook having one full year left on his contract, if he were to tell the OKC management that the only team he’s willing to re-up with is the Lakers, the organization would be forced to do business or lose him for nothing.

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Using the James Harden trade and the Kevin Durant debacle for reference, the latter is largely out of the question.

Assuming that the salary cap levels off after this year, granting teams upwards of $100 million in cap space, Westbrook wouldn’t have to bother with signing another 1+1 deal and instead could sign a 4-year max contract in Los Angeles.

In a generation that places instant gratification on a pedestal, this should come as no surprise but if the team were to do that, they might be better off…

Next: Trading For Another Star