Fact or fiction on 2 “dream” trade targets for the Los Angeles Lakers

2. Gordon Hayward

Gordon Hayward is in a similar position as Julius Randle so a big component of whether or not this trade makes sense is just how desperate the Charlotte Hornets potentially are of moving off of Hayward this offseason.

Hayward has two more years under contract and is set to make just over $30 million next season and $31.5 million the following season. While Charlotte has much more promise than New York, they still are not a true contender yet and trading Hayward away would not change the ceiling of the team.

If Charlotte is worried about his injury concerns and realizes that the team is not going to win much anyway then they could look to flip two years of Hayward (and another contract like Mason Plumlee) to Los Angeles for Westbrook and pick(s). The draft pick(s) are important here as Charlotte would have to get some value back.

While the trade follows the same parameters as the Knicks trade, it does feel like something that would have to be done at a later date, such as the trade deadline.

By the time the deadline rolls around, Charlotte would only be responsible for less money on the books in Westbrook and could end up trading for him just so they could buy him out and save even more money.

They would move off of the last season of Hayward’s contract and would get assets for doing so. Plus, in theory, the Hornets would have more clarity at the deadline than they do now. In the offseason, they are going to convince themselves that they can put together a team for a deep playoff run.

However, at the deadline, if the Hornets are the 10th seed in the East then they are much more likely to flip Hayward for Westbrook and picks.

Verdict: Fact (at the deadline)