How Thomas Bryant’s return may sway Lakers to trade Russell Westbrook

The Los Angeles Lakers should be getting some important reinforcements on the way in the coming days. Both Dennis Schroder and Thomas Bryant are on track to return soon and when they do, it is going to have a profound effect on the Lakers’ rotation.

While neither player is some big-name star, the roles they will have on this team are very important considering the early-season issues that the purple and gold have dealt with. Schroder will give the team an option to take minutes at guard from disappointing players such as Kendrick Nunn and Patrick Beverley.

Bryant, meanwhile, will give the Lakers a playable five to put alongside Anthony Davis. While fans have harped on AD for not wanting to be a five in the past, it is clear that his full-time commitment to essentially being the five this year is not sustainable. Getting a true five will not only help Davis but help the team when they want to throw out three-guard lineups.

Bryant won’t just help the team with the immediate rotation needs, though. His return almost might be enough to sway Rob Pelinka and the front office to finally make the move that many fans have been waiting for.

How Thomas Bryant’s return could sway the Lakers to trade Russell Westbrook:

It is not going to happen instantly, but it all depends on how Bryant looks in Los Angeles and more importantly, how the rotation fits around him. Adding a traditional center that can also somewhat space the floor is big for the Lakers and is going to add a completely new dynamic that the team doesn’t currently have.

There is a good chance that adding Bryant and what he brings to the table adds a cohesiveness to the Lakers’ rotation that is not currently present. While Bryant himself is not going to be some revolutionary game-changer, just having those center minutes could make a huge difference.

And if that is the case, the Lakers may start pondering what those center minutes could look like if they went to Myles Turner instead. Alongside Myles Turner, the Lakers would also be adding a shooter in Buddy Hield.

Turner is having a career year both offensively and defensively for the Indiana Pacers this season. He is essentially a much better version of Thomas Bryant and if just having Bryant back makes a big difference, imagine the kind of difference Turner could make.

Schroder’s return could also play into this as well. If Schroder is playing really well, the Lakers could comfortably give him Westbrook’s bench point guard role and have Hield take minutes from the underwhelming guards.

5 players the Los Angeles Lakers should have never given up on

The Los Angeles Lakers have let some pretty talented players slip through their fingers simply because they gave up on them at the wrong time.

All in all, Dennis Schorer and Thomas Bryant returning could have big effects not just on how this Lakers team plays as a unit, but the future of the team as well.