Redoing the entire Los Angeles Lakers offseason to make a true contender
By Jason Reed
The Los Angeles Lakers trade for Buddy Hield
The Los Angeles Lakers made a decision in the offseason and it appears that they made the wrong one. Instead of trading for Russell Westbrook, if the reports are correct, the team could have instead traded for Sacramento’s Buddy Hield, which would have been a much better outlook.
Hield is not an elite player and he has gotten a bit overrated by Laker fans as they look at how the alternative is playing. That being said, Hield would have fit on this team as a third scorer as his three-point shooting and floor spacing would have excelled next to LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
He might not be a superstar but the Lakers didn’t need to add a third superstar. It seems like Rob Pelinka was name chasing and chased the name of Westbrook instead of taking the lesser player who fits the team better (and honestly, Hield might not even be lesser at this point).
The best part about this deal is it gives the Lakers an out if it does not work as Hield is moveable and is not going to restrict the team from making other moves. Hield is making $22.4 million this season and is under contract for another two seasons. However, his salary goes down each year.
Kyle Kuzma later confirmed that he was shocked that the Buddy Hield trade didn’t end up happening as he thought it was a done deal. The reported package was Kuzma and Montrezl Harrell for Hield.
With Hield making almost half of what Westbrook is making this season, the Lakers could have made another trade as well.