The Los Angeles Lakers have made it no secret that they are looking to trade away Russell Westbrook.
He is a poor fit on the presently-constructed roster and seems to be rubbing everyone within the organization the wrong way.
It’s also becoming abundantly clear that Westbrook feels like he is on the way out. That is why he has been lashing out on social media this week.
He sees the writing on the wall.
This week, in a conversation with Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report, one NBA executive named three ‘obvious’ potential trade suitors for L.A. when it comes to a Westbrook deal.
“Per one NBA executive, the Lakers have three remaining ‘obvious’ partners they should pursue to make a Westbrook swap in the Indiana Pacers, San Antonio Spurs or Utah Jazz,” Pincus noted.
This isn’t the first time any of those three teams have been discussed in this context.
The Pacers and Lakers were in extended conversations about a possible swap centering around Buddy Hield, but nothing ever materialized. Los Angeles’ final offer to Indiana for the sharpshooter is a matter of public record.
Similarly, San Antonio’s role in a prospective Westbrook trade has also been discussed a ton. To date, the Spurs have shown a reluctance to help L.A. get something done – for obvious reasons. But obviously that could change.
Beyond the Pacers and Spurs, Utah emerged in recent weeks as a willing and able partner for the Lakers. That said, the fact that they did the Patrick Beverley transaction this week and didn’t figure out a way to include Westbrook in it doesn’t speak well to the idea that something involving him will go down in the future.
The Lakers have also been linked to a potential deal with the Chicago Bulls in recent days, though it’s unclear how Westbrook would factor into that one.
All in all, it’s clear that there are a lot of options on the table for Los Angeles at this juncture – it’s just about finding the right one.
Brian Windhorst reported this week that the Lakers will get a deal done.
Paige Spiranac’s outfit was deemed too inappropriate for a round of golf. https://t.co/3jt315rnYB
— Game 7 (@game7__) August 25, 2022
Patience is paramount, though.
Will Westbrook still be on the Lakers by the time the regular season rolls around?
Time will tell.
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Jennifer Withers Hoey is a former Business Development Manager who transitioned to writing about sports. With valuable connections all over the West Coast, she has used those contacts to break some of the most interesting stories pertaining to the Portland Trail Blazers, Oregon Ducks, LA Lakers, LA Clippers, Seattle Supersonics (RIP), and more.
