A massive Russell Westbrook trade that could save the Lakers’ offseason
The blockbuster trade idea for Russell Westbrook
The Lakers part with significant draft capital but in return get back Malcolm Brogdon and Buddy Hield. Talen Horton-Tucker joins a squad that suits his developmental timeline significantly better than the Los Angeles Laker’s current timeline.
Russell Westbrook lands on a team that doesn’t necessarily need his talents but who could definitely use the cap space in 2023. For the draft capital they are receiving, they could easily sit Westbrook for next season, they could buy him out and simply not have him around the team or they could try and make it work with him and hope that a new situation allows for Westbrook to flourish elsewhere.
The Oklahoma City Thunder ger Talen Horton Tucker, who has great potential and would fit really well with the youth movement in OKC.
The Los Angeles Lakers like it or not, as currently constructed, are not in a position to compete for a championship next season
For the Los Angeles Lakers, in their own conference, the Phoenix Suns are better, the Golden State Warriors are better, the Memphis Grizzlies are better, the Utah Jazz is better and as painful as it is to say, the Los Angeles Clippers are on par or better with the Lakers when Kawhi and Paul George are healthy.
For the Los Angeles Lakers, let’s just say… there are more than one or two teams who are better than the purple and gold right now.
For both teams to get into championship contention, something needs to change.
So why would each team make such drastic moves?