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Lakers: Realistic 3-team Russell Westbrook trade with Jazz, Hornets

By Jason Reed

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - MARCH 09: Mike Conley #11 of the Utah Jazz in action during the first half of a game against the Portland Trail Blazers at Vivint Smart Home Arena on March 09, 2022 in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - MARCH 09: Mike Conley #11 of the Utah Jazz in action during the first half of a game against the Portland Trail Blazers at Vivint Smart Home Arena on March 09, 2022 in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers
(Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers /

Why the Utah Jazz and Charlotte Hornets could say yes:

Utah Jazz: 

If the Utah Jazz are intent on completely blowing up the roster then this trade does not happen. However, completely blowing up the roster would include trading both Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert and hitting the reset button.

The more likely outcome might be a restructuring of the roster. This trade would come in tandem with a Rudy Gobert trade, giving Utah a new-look roster around Mitchell that they would hope contends. What a Gobert trade looks like it hard to say.

In this re-shuffling, being able to get Hayward for Mike Conley would be a decent get for Utah. While Conley was solid in the regular season, the team might do some introspection and realize that they are not winning with him as the point guard after the showing that he had in the NBA Playoffs. He is not going to have much trade value and a team like Charlotte probably has no interest in him.

Charlotte Hornets:

The M-O for the Hornets here is the same as if the Lakers were to trade Westbrook to Charlotte straight-up. Charlotte wants to get off of Hayward’s multi-year salary to open up spending space for next offseason. That is exactly what this trade would accomplish.

Would Westbrook stay in Charlotte? It is tough to say. The team may look to buy him out but Michael Jordan has been very complimentary of Westbrook in the past and the Hornets have not made the best decisions so I would not be totally shocked if they traded for him thinking he can make an impact.

Next. Westbrook and the 10 worst trades in franchise history. dark

That 2027 first-round pick is juicy for Charlotte, giving them an asset and financial flexibility. In the grand scheme of things for a team that isn’t contending next year anyway, this is a smart move.

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