Proposed Trade Gives Lakers 4-Time All-Star & $12 Million Forward for Russell Westbrook

The Los Angeles Lakers are not wasting their time and they still try to find the ideal trade partner in Russell Westbrook’s case. According to the most recent trade proposal, the Lakers have a chance to get an All-Star and multimillion forward. Seems nice, right?

Westbrook’s struggles may bring his time in LA to an end sooner than expected. The one-time NBA MVP is fine with this and wouldn’t mind being traded somewhere else. However, he is not someone who’d agree to a buyout. Rob Pelinka is looking for a potential destination for his veteran and he may get some nice players in return.

Trade package gives Lakers a chance to land a talented All-Star

An executive told Sean Deveney from Heavy that Westbrook could go to the Detroit Pistons. What’s LA getting in this one? Kemba Walker, Alec Burks, Kelly Olynyk, and Nerlens Noel. It’s interesting to note that Detroit wouldn’t keep Westbrook on the roster.

“I’d be willing to get involved if I were the Pistons, as one example,” the East executive told Deveney. “I would want that 2027 pick unprotected and take back Russell Westbrook and send you all my veterans, all my junk. Right now, Detroit is taking the approach of just waiting, playing with the guys they got from the (New York) Knicks and trading during the season. That team needs to tank some more. They need (Victor) Wembanyama or at least they need to be in the mix. So send back Alec Burks and Nerlens Noel and (Kelly) Olynyk and Kemba (Walker). The Lakers would be doing a 1-for-4 deal there, so they’d have to move guys around. They’d have to release someone.”

Getting a package of four great players is not such a bad idea after all. Head coach Darvin Ham could use that perimeter shooting and rebounds next season.

Walker is a four-time All-Star. He saw action in 37 games with the New York Knicks, averaging 11.6 points per game and shooting 40.3% from the field. He did shoot 36.7% from beyond the arc. Burks averaged 11.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 3.0 assists while goind 39.1% from the field, 40.4% from beyond the arc, and 82.2% from the free-throw line. Olynyk averaged 9.1 points and 4.4 rebounds per game while going 33.6% from deep. In the 2020-21 NBA season, he had 126 3-point shots which was a career-high for the player. Noel would add great depth to the offense.

It makes sense, right?