Why the Lakers could say yes to this Russell Westbrook trade:
It is not rocket science as far as the Los Angeles Lakers are concerned. While the odds still are not high, Los Angeles actually has a better chance of winning the NBA Championship if Russell Westbrook does not play next season. Being able to trade him and get actual rotation players in return would be a win for the team.
That being said, there are certain parts of this trade that the Lakers would have to talk themselves into. The first of which being Buddy Hield’s contract. While Hield does not have a massive salary, he is not on an expiring contract like Westbrook or Kyrie Irving, meaning that he will be on the books next summer as well.
That being said, the Lakers will still free up ample cap space and it is not like there is a superstar to sign next summer as is. This will show LeBron James a commitment to winning and will hopefully entice him to sign that extension.
The second part of this trade is the draft compensation. An unprotected first is a lot to give and while previous reports indicate the Lakers don’t want to do that, if push comes to shove they likely will.
While the Lakers’ future pick situation seems bleak, it is not as bad as it is made out to be. The team still has a pick in 2023 as they traded a pick swap, and the Pelicans have the choice of either the team’s 2024 or 2025 pick. Over the next four years, the Lakers still have three first-round picks to make.
Hield would add a nice shooting presence (which is needed even more with the Lakers not signing any great shooters) and Turner would bring a quality size option that could also space the floor. Better yet for ownership, the Lakers would save $7.1 million — and even more against the luxury tax — by making this deal.