The Los Angeles Lakers have been rumored to trade Russell Westbrook since the beginning of the offseason. However, the front office hasn't had much luck in finding a trade partner. Many believe the Indiana Pacers are interested in acquiring the star guard, but the franchise isn't willing to pay a premium price either. Especially considering LA is rumored to be asking for Buddy Hield and Myles Turner in return.
According to The Athletic, the Pacers are actively shopping both Hield and Turner, but they're not going to trade them both away for what LA offered. “Team president Kevin Pritchard won't accept a lousy deal to move on from them — witness Indiana's recent refusal to make a trade with the Lakers, who were offering Russell Westbrook, a first-rounder in 2027, and two second-rounders.”
That would be quite the haul for Los Angeles, especially considering Russell Westbrook's production fell off a cliff last season. Perhaps the Pacers will look more into a potential Westbrook trade, but the front office is playing it smart. Buddy Hield and Myles Turner are two valuable assets and it's likely Indiana can find a better deal elsewhere.
These of course are rumors for now, as these trade details are just rumblings from around the league. If they're true, then it sounds like the Lakers attempted to rob the Pacers, but luckily, Indiana wasn't having any of it.
Keep an eye on Indy moving forward as they're in the market to trade Hield and Turner. There is still plenty of time in the offseason to ponder negotiations, so the Pacers will likely be patient in evaluating trade offers. As for the Lakers, they might have to consider finding a different team to ship Russell Westbrook. There is still some hope for a possible Kyrie Irving-LeBron James reunion, but for now, nothing is for certain.
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