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Russell Westbrook trade somehow just got even better for the Lakers

Jason Reed|
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 30: Russell Westbrook #0 and Rui Hachimura #28 of the Los Angeles Lakers react during warmups before the first half against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center on January 30, 2023 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 30: Russell Westbrook #0 and Rui Hachimura #28 of the Los Angeles Lakers react during warmups before the first half against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center on January 30, 2023 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

The turning point of the Los Angeles Lakers’ 2022-23 season happened when the team traded Russell Westbrook in a three-team trade that brought D’Angelo Russell, Jarred Vanderbilt and Malik Beasley to LA.

This gave the Lakers a deeper rotation that also benefited from the addition by subtraction of simply getting rid of Westbrook. Los Angeles went from a team that looked like it was going to be high in the lottery to make it all the way to the Western Conference Finals.

There is no doubt that it was a home-run trade for the Lakers (especially because the team was able to protect its 2027 first-round pick). And while the season is over and the trade happened four months ago, it is still somehow getting better for the purple and gold. In what is probably the smallest Woj bomb ever, Damian Jones accepted his player option for the 2023-24 season.

Damian Jones exercising player option makes Russell Westbrook trade even better for the Lakers.

This seems like such a minuscule thing but in the grand scheme of roster building it really could make a difference. Los Angeles shipped Jones to the Utah Jazz as part of the Westbrook trade and while it got lost in the shuffle at the time, it was a very smart move by Rob Pelinka.

Damian Jones was an absolute non-factor in Los Angeles. He quickly played himself out of the rotation and proved that he was not a viable backup big option for the team. When it was all said and done, Jones averaged just eight minutes per game with the Lake Show. In those eight minutes, he averaged 2.5 points and 2.5 assists.

The back of the roster isn’t going to be filled with superstars but having Jones on the team was a waste of a roster spot. Now that he has officially opted into the 2023-24 season, it is safe to say that he would have been a waste of a roster spot again.

Now the Lakers have the additional roster spot to add a young player to develop or a more impactful veteran. Better yet, Los Angeles didn’t have to foot the bill for the $2.58 million cap hit that Jones would have had on the team.

It may seem marginal, but freeing up a salary like that can really make a difference. That could be the difference between being able to use the full MLE or having to use the taxpayer’s MLE.

If the Lakers weren’t able to include Jones in the Westbrook trade, there is a very real chance that they would have had to package a second-round pick with him to free up his salary this season (as they did with Marc Gasol several years ago). Luckily, that issue has been avoided.

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