The Los Angeles Lakers needed to go through a roster overhaul this offseason. However, even though they did get slightly younger and more athletic, there's only so much they could do with their salary-cap situation. That's why trading Russell Westbrook was a must.
But the Lakers have refused to give up the assets they need to move on from Westbrook. They don't want to give away future first-round picks, so there's literally no incentive for any team to take on Westbrook's massive deal.
Even so, former Coach of the Year Sam Mitchell believes they should do whatever it takes to land Buddy Hield and Myles Turner, as they're the only two realistic targets that could take the team over the top.
Sam Mitchell Urges Lakers To Trade For Buddy Hield And Myles Turner
"If the Lakers do this, then they're all-in until they see if this thing is not going to work," Mitchell said on SiriusXM NBA Radio. "If I am the Lakers, I do the deal. I would hate giving up all that they have to give up, but if I got LeBron for 2 years and you figure that the best 2 years you're going to get from AD are the next 2 years. I do the deal and if it don't work, I cut bait and trade everybody next year."
Lakers Backed Down From That Deal Months Ago
Hield and Turner have been linked to a move to the Lakers for months. Nonetheless, the Lakers' reluctance to include at least one of those first-round picks killed all conversations right away:
"The Lakers had engaged with the Indiana Pacers regarding a trade for young big man Myles Turner and scorer Buddy Hield," Forbes' DJ Siddiqi reported. "However, those talks are now dead, due to general manager Rob Pelinka's refusal to include a second first-round pick (2027 and 2029)."
At the end of the day, the Lakers will either have to realize that they need to trade their picks or face facts and be bad for another season. Westbrook is a terrible fit for the roster, and things are unlikely to improve if he stays.
