3 reasons why Lakers’ Russell Westbrook trade was an absolute heist

3. The Lakers set themselves up for more moves (in the short and long-term)

This very well could be the last move that the Lakers make at the deadline this year. If there is nothing else that particularly interests the team then they should roll with this roster and not make a trade just for the sake of making a trade.

That being said, Pelinka at least put the Lakers in a situation where they can make another move both in the short and the long term. Los Angeles still has multiple players that it can trade at the deadline this year as well as future draft capital to package them with to make something happen.

We will not see another trade that even comes close to being as big as the Westbrook trade but the team could continue to scoop up role players that can help this season as well as be part of the future outlook.

This also set the team up to make moves in the future as well. Beasley and Vanderbilt being under contract for another year makes them potential trade chips in a bigger trade if there is another disgruntled start over the summer.

Not only that, but the Lakers can get creative with D’Angelo Russell if need be over the offseason. The team (once again) has his Bird Rights and could go over the cap to re-sign him with the intent of eventually dangling him on the market.

Signing Russell to a four-year contract would be a bad move as no team would want to take that on and the Lakers would be stuck with Russell. But if Russell is willing to take two years of a larger salary than he would get as a free agent he could become a perfect trade chip to add into the next disgruntled superstar trade.

Lakers projected starting lineup with D’Angelo Russell

The Los Angeles Lakers traded Russell Westbrook in a massive deal that brought back D'Angelo Russell. Here is the projected starting lineup.

The Lakers are not losing the asset, which is important. If the team just let Russell Westbrook’s contract expire they would have lost the future opportunity to bring in another star in a future trade.