While the Los Angeles Lakers overall record is not great, there has been some momentum with the team in the last few weeks. If things continue to go the right direction, the front office may more seriously consider making a trade that improves the team.
A Russell Westbrook trade seems to be off the table unless someone comes in with a great offer. Westbrook has been fine off the bench this season and it is not worth trading future picks simply to move off of him for half a season.
However, the team has other contracts that it could put together for a trade in the likes of Patrick Beverley and Kendrick Nunn. Neither player is playing great, so it would take some draft capital, but the Lakers could make other moves.
One potential familiar face that Lakers fans wanted the team to trade for is Utah’s Jordan Clarkson. Despite seemingly committing to the tank before the season and now winning a lot of games, that Clarkson wish is likely out of the realm of possibility.
Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports reported that the Jazz has no intentions of moving off of either Lauri Markannen or Jordan Clarkson, with the former likely getting a contract extension at some point. Thus, Lakers fans can put the old Clarkson jerseys back in the closet, he is not coming back.
Jordan Clarkson would have been perfect on the Los Angeles Lakers.
It is a shame that Clarkson is no longer a viable target for the Lakers as he would have been a perfect fit on this team. There have been some underwhelming guards on the team this season and Clarkson would have instantly provided a jolt to this team.
Clarkson likely would have come in and been the team’s third scorer almost instantly. For a team that so desperately lacks shooting from deep, Clarkson would have been a breath of fresh air and would have thrived with the floor spacing that Anthony Davis and LeBron James provide.
Instead, the Lakers are going to have to look at other options on the market and there are not that many to be excited about. Los Angeles doesn’t have the best trade assets, either, so we might see this same Lakers team throughout the entire season.
Russell Westbrook’s likely next team after the Lakers is revealed
Whether he is traded or plays out the rest of his contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, we may already know where Russell Westbrook will play next.
Hopefully, something can fall in Rob Pelinka’s lap because right now, it looks like fans are stuck rooting for this same team.