Proposed Trade Gives Lakers $120 Million All-Star & Starting PG for Russell Westbrook

Los Angeles Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka didn’t trade Russell Westbrook at the deadline in February. The Lakers got Russ through a blockbuster trade, but he failed to make an impact. His turnovers put a black dot on his stint with the team. Fans booed him. We have a few good reasons to believe that Westbrook will be sent somewhere else. Analysts claim that a potential trade could give the Lakers a starting PG.

Marc Stein listed the Charlotte Hornets as a potential trade partner for the Lakers. ESPN discussed a potential trade revolving around Westbrook, Gordon Hayward, and Terry Rozier.

Big trade may land the Lakers a starting point guard for the win

Hayward and Rozier have better shooting numbers than Westbrook. They are not shooting bricks. Russ shot 44.4% from the field, 29.8% from beyond the arc, and 66.7% from the free-throw line. Hayward did 39.1% from beyond the arc this past season and Rozier did 37.4%.

Both players could give the Lakers offense a much needed boost. Hayward and Rozier are excellent shooters and even better playmakers. However, if you ask Stein he wouldn’t bet on Hayward for one specific reason. In the last couple of seasons, Hayward saw action in 93 of 154 games.

“Yet it has since been conveyed to me that the Lakers have more boundaries than advertised when it comes to weighing Westbrook trades,” Stein reported. “One league source said that injury histories would be a prime consideration in any deal, given how injuries have so routinely intruded upon the last two seasons for both 37-year-old LeBron James and 29-year-old Anthony Davis.

“Translation: The Lakers are unlikely to consent to a Charlotte trade headlined by Gordon Hayward — not after Hayward’s first two seasons in Charlotte have likewise been injury-filled. The Lakers surely understand that they need to factor in durability if they are taking on long-term money, which suggests that Terry Rozier would have to be the Southern California-bound headliner if the Hornets and Lakers eventually progress to serious trade talks.”

Davis and LeBron missed a big chunk of the regular season due to injuries. Pelinka will probably opt for a healthy player. They don’t need someone who will miss even more time due to injuries.

Pelinka will build his roster around LeBron. Hopefully. Getting rid of Westbrook is a priority right now.