Russell Westbrook entered the season as one of the likeliest trade candidates in the NBA. But the Los Angeles Lakers have struggled to find a trade suitor willing to absorb his $47 million contract.
Fortunately for them, Westbrook has been on a tear since being demoted to the second unit. So, it seems like multiple teams have shown some interest in trading for the former MVP and Scoring Champion.
Moreover, it seems like the Lakers and San Antonio Spurs have been recently engaged in talks centered around Westbrook. According to Spurstalk’s LJ Ellis, the trade would send Doug McDermott and Josh Richardson to Los Angeles.
NBA Rumors: Lakers, Spurs Could Pull Off Big Trade For Russell Westbrook
“According to a source, the Los Angeles Lakers have targeted Richardson and McDermott in a trade that would involve Russell Westbrook,” Ellis wrote. “However, talks haven’t gained traction because the Lakers are only willing to relinquish a pair of second round picks in return for both players.”
“Richardson (41.9%) and McDermott (43.1%) have been shooting extremely well from three-point range this season for the Spurs. Considering the Lakers are last in the league in three-point shooting at 28.4%, Los Angeles may eventually decide to increase their offer for San Antonio’s sharpshooting duo,” Ellis added. “If the Spurs do land Westbrook in a trade, the source says the Spurs would buy out his contract and allow him to become a free agent.”
Needless to say, Westbrook would openly embrace the opportunity to get a fresh start somewhere else, while the Lakers would get two players who’d be a major upgrade for their roster, fit-wise.
The Lakers have craved shooting for quite some time now, and Richardson could also provide some defensive versatility on the backcourt and the wings. This seems like the ultimate win-win scenario for everybody involved.
