Pass or pursue a ‘realistic’ Lakers Russell Westbrook trade to the Magic
By Jason Reed
It is no secret that the biggest goal for the Los Angeles Lakers this offseason is to trade Russell Westbrook. Westbrook was the root of most of the team’s problems last season as it was clear that he did not fit next to LeBron James and Anthony Davis and his salary restricted the team from adding elsewhere.
Los Angeles is not going to contend for a championship and will instead be riddled in the play-in race if they are unable to move Westbrook. The biggest potential trade the team can make is for Kyrie Irving but that is seeming less and less likely by the day.
Thus, Rob Pelinka and co. have been exploring other options and NBA pundits like myself have been doing our best to theorize what a different Westbrook trade looks like. That includes Bleacher Report’s Grant Hughes, who recently put together ‘realistic’ trades to move some of the worst contracts in the league.
Of course, Westbrook is in this article as he has perhaps the worst contract in the sport. On top of also being included in a theorized Kyrie deal, Hughes drew up this potential trade with the Orlando Magic:
Should the Los Angeles Lakers pass or pursue this potential Russell Westbrook trade with the Magic?
This is one of those proposed trades that does not really make a lot of sense for either side. If presented with this trade, both sides would likely say no at the same time, hanging up the phone in the process.
Orlando really has no reason to make this trade. Sure, they are getting a future draft pick and some salary relief in the future since Markelle Fultz has a multi-year deal. But Fultz still brings value to the team.
It makes no sense to bring Russ in with the core that the Magic have. He should not take minutes away from Jalen Suggs and Fultz is better off trying to blossom as a pro in Orlando. Sure, maybe the Magic could just buy Westbrook out, but again, the team would be better off simply keeping Fultz.
That future pick is simply not worth enough and for the Lakers, the return they are getting is not worth what they are sending out. Sure, they are only sending out one pick in this trade but they are not getting any impactful players in return.
The Lakers would be much better off just including a second first-round pick in a trade for someone of actual value, like Buddy Hield and Myles Turner.
If every other potential trade situation fizzled out, Rob Pelinka still should not make this trade. LA would be better off going into the season with Russ looking to move him at the deadline when he only has half a contract left to buy out.
Verdict: Pass