The Los Angeles Lakers had long been rumored to be mulling a blockbuster Russell Westbrook trade which would see Pacers' Buddy Hield and Myles Turner head to L.A. While nothing ever materialized, the trade rumors surrounding Russ, and the likelihood of Indiana as a landing spot, have not ceased. Now, it's been revealed why the Lakers didn't pull the trigger on the deal ahead of the regular season, despite having given it serious consideration.
According to ESPN's Dave McMenamin, there are two key reasons the Lakers resisted the chance to trade Westbrook this offseason. Via McMenamin:
“The Lakers decided that giving up both their 2027 and 2029 first-round picks — the only future first-round assets they have in their draft chest — was too steep a price to pay for a haul that wouldn't indisputably propel them to contender status, sources said. Plus the Lakers reasoned, sources said, the same deal with the Pacers would still be there down the line should they reengage.”
The Lakers have already parted ways with virtually all of their future first-round picks, so moving on from two more in a trade that didn't instantly make them serious title contenders or favorites didn't feel worth it for the front office. They haven't ruled it out completely, however, as McMenamin indicates the Lakers are open to reengaging in trade conversations at some point in the season.
It's a strategy that makes sense from the Lakers' perspective. Considering the outlook of this roster, it's far from a sure thing that Turner and Hield would have made the Lakers true NBA Finals contenders. While they'd likely be in better position than they currently are, L.A. appears more than a couple of pieces away from contention.
Rather than sacrifice their entire future in terms of first-round draft capital, the Lakers opted to keep Russell Westbrook on the roster, at least for now, with the potential to re-visit a deal as the season progresses.
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