While all signs are pointing to the Los Angeles Lakers inevitably trading for Kyrie Irving, the purple and gold cannot bank on that being the team’s only option to get Russell Westbrook off the roster. There has to be a backup plan not just to execute in case they don’t get Irving, but to use as leverage to get Irving at a cheaper price.
The Indiana Pacers were a team that was connected to the Lakers and with the Phoenix Suns matching Deandre Ayton’s offer sheet from Indiana, the team could be a candidate again.
Another possible trade partner for the Lakers is the Utah Jazz. Utah is listening to offers for superstar Donovan Mitchell as the team blows it up for draft picks this summer. Not only is Mitchell available, but so is every veteran player. Thus, the Lakers could look to dump Westbrook’s salary to Utah to get contracts in return.
The trade that could get Russell Westbrook to the Utah Jazz:
There is a lot going on in this package and the initial response from both fanbases when they see a trade like this is typically visceral. Lakers fans probably don’t want to make a trade that does not have a star in return while Utah fans don’t want to see Westbrook on their team.
However, at the end of the day, this trade package makes sense for both parties involved. In the following pages, we will explain why both the Lakers and the Jazz should say yes to this potential Russell Westbrook trade.
Why the Los Angeles Lakers should say yes to this Russell Westbrook trade:
It goes without saying but the main reason why the Lakers should say yes is that it gets Westbrook off the team. Los Angeles is actually better off next season if Westbrook simply does not play. If they can turn that into actual rotation players in return then that would be great for the team.
While this does not get Kyrie Irving in return, it does give the Lakers more depth and more monetary flexibility in the future. Most importantly, it only includes the Lakers sending one draft pick.
Mike Conley might not be a great asset at this point in his career but he is someone who can succeed without the basketball in his hands, unlike Westbrook. Conley does not need a high usage rate to be happy and more importantly, he makes half of what Westbrook does. He is under contract for another season but it is partially guaranteed. If things get too bad, the Lakers could float that partially guaranteed expiring in trade packages next summer.
Jordan Clarkson is a fantastic scoring role player that is also a Klutch client, so there probably is some desire there to return to Los Angeles. Clarkson isn’t the best defender and he does have two more years left on his deal. His trade value is not that high as a result.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker is thrown in to make the money work and he could be someone who the Lakers get their hands on and develop. He has not shown anything special thus far in his career but he is only 23 years old.
The Lakers need to keep a roster spot open for Cole Swider so they send back Kendrick Nunn and Wenyen Gabriel to keep the number the same. Swider will replace Gabriel in the rotation and Clarkson will replace Nunn.
Why the Utah Jazz should say yes to this Russell Westbrook trade:
Danny Ainge is obviously in the business of blowing it up, starting over and hoarding assets to create a new foundation in Utah. While we all want to believe that the Lakers’ 2027 first-round pick won’t be a great one, with the way the organization has operated, the Jazz would have to like their chances.
Plus, Utah is not getting this much in value if they were going to trade these pieces individually. Alexander-Walker has no trade value, Clarkson is likely not warranting a first-round pick in a trade and Mike Conley is a negative asset for Utah. No team is lining up calling for Conley at this point in his career.
With this trade, the Jazz get complete salary-cap freedom after the 2022-23 season as they are trading two-year contracts in Clarkson and Conley for an expiring in Westbrook. The team is obviously in the business of tanking for Victor Wembanyama this season and this helps accomplish that.
Utah is taking on $11.2 million more in salary but the team could buy out Westbrook and save another $5-6 million in doing so. They also get an asset in Kendrick Nunn that they can set loose in Utah and flip for more assets at the trade deadline. Gabriel is just a depth piece that helps the roster get to 15.
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This is a classic salary-dump trade. Utah helps solve the Lakers’ problem and gets a pick for doing so and actually gets some assets off the books that might have been hard to move anyway.