The biggest hole on the Los Angeles Lakers roster has been on full display early on in the 2022-23 season as the team looks like one of the worst three-point shooting teams the modern NBA has ever produced. It has been so bad that even LeBron James has publically buried the roster already.
Demands for a Russell Westbrook trade are already plentiful as well. Westbrook was woeful against the Los Angeles Clippers and fans — who expect greatness out of this franchise — have seen enough. Change needs to happen.
Rob Pelinka and the front office reportedly have a set timeline that they are going to adhere to so we might not see immediate change soon. However, when it finally gets too much for the team to handle, we could see LA pull the trigger on one of various Westbrook trades, which should definitely include some three-point shooting coming back to the purple and gold.
Here are 5 three-point shooters the Lakers could add via a Russell Westbrook trade:
1. Buddy Hield
This is the most obvious inclusion as this looks like the most likely trade that the Lakers can make. While a lot can change in the NBA, the no. 1 trade that Lakers fans are asking for is a swap of Westbrook for Buddy Hield and Myles Turner.
While Hield has his problems as an all-around player, he is one of the most prolific three-point shooters in the entire league. He is not much of an off-ball scorer but he would add someone to this roster that other teams have to respect from three.
Turner can also help space the floor for the Lakers as well, giving LA a shooting presence in the frontcourt. I would not include him on this list of dedicated three-point shooters, but just having that body that can essentially be a four on offense and a five on defense would be great for the Lakers.
Would it make them a title contender? The front office seemingly doesn’t think so, as a trade would have happened by now if so.