Russell Westbrook and the Los Angeles Lakers were always a bad fit. They didn't do each other any favors last season, and Westbrook firing his agent only proves that he was nothing to do with them anymore.
The Lakers have actively explored the trade market for the former MVP. However, they don't want to trade multiple first-round picks to get his massive contract off the books, which has been a deal-breaker.
There's no way the Lakers can trade him without giving up those picks, but at least they could get some nice value in return. With that in mind, Bleacher Report's Greg Swartz proposed a win-win trade involving the Dallas Mavericks.
NBA Rumors: Mavs Should Consider Trading For Russell Westbrook
In this hypothetical scenario, the Lakers get Tim Hardaway Jr, David Bertans, and Reggie Bullock. On the other hand, the Mavs get Russell Westbrook, Austin Reaves, and 2027 and 2029 first-round picks:
"Losing Hardaway, Bertans and Bullock may hurt the Mavs' chances at competing for a title in 2023, but it also opens up $45.4 million in cap space next summer, meaning Dallas would have room to sign a max-level free agent to pair with Doncic," Swartz wrote.
"The Mavs also pick up a future first as trade ammo and get a young player in Reaves to insert into the rotation to help make up for the loss of Hardaway," Swartz added. "A core of Doncic, Wood, Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith, JaVale McGee, Maxi Kleber and Dwight Powell is still good and now has a far better long-term outlook."
The Lakers would have to give up two picks but would land the floor-spacers they need to thrive next with LeBron James and Anthony Davis. The Mavs would clear cap space to build a better team as Luka Doncic enters his Prime. Win-win.
