2. Keeping the Band of Youngsters Together
When the rumors were swirling about a potential trade involving the Lakers and Russell Westbrook, the package that the Oklahoma City Thunder reportedly wanted in return for the All-Star point guard involved incoming rookie forward Brandon Ingram, point guard D’Angelo Russell, and some combination of future draft picks. Even for a player like Westbrook that can do so much so well, that’s one hell of a package to be giving up.
Now that Westbrook is staying in Oklahoma City for what would appear to be the next three seasons, though, the Lakers are in a position where they can now watch their full young core grow and begin to flourish together. Yes, having Russ would’ve been fantastic. But won’t it also be fantastic watching the likes of Russell, Ingram, Julius Randle, Jordan Clarkson, and Larry Nance Jr. all start to climb toward their respective primes together?
In fact, there’s a strong argument to be made that keeping the band together for the Lakers puts them in a better position to win long-term. As great as Westbrook is, there is the already discussed point that he was not a guarantee to re-sign and he’s also only one player, one superstar. By keeping this core together and allowing them to develop together, you’re allowing the chance for more stars than just the one to emerge.
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