NBA Trade Rumors: This is how Lakers could trade Russell Westbrook

The Los Angeles Lakers made a big mistake. They could’ve kept their championship core together and added Buddy Hield, yet they traded for Russell Westbrook at LeBron James’ request.

Westbrook was a marquee name in the league already and adding another star was great on paper. But you didn’t have to be a basketball savant to wonder whether the fit next to James and Anthony Davis was ideal.

Fast-forward to today and it’s clear that both parties need to move on from each other. But getting rid of Westbrook’s massive deal will be easier said than done. Fortunately for them, the Charlotte Hornets are reportedly interested in taking that bullet.

NBA Trade Rumors: Lakers Want Terry Rozier In Return For Russell Westbrook

“One factor, Stein reports, is health.The Lakers do not want to take on players with questionable injury histories,” reported Sam Quinn of CBS Sports. “Considering the injuries LeBron James and Anthony Davis have dealt with in recent years, they would like any players they add in such a deal to be a bit more reliable. That was the logic that partially led to the Westbrook trade. In theory, his durability raised the Lakers’ floor when one of the stars had to sit out. That’s not how it worked in practice.”

With that in mind, there’s no wonder why the Lakers aren’t interested in landing Gordon Hayward in return. Instead, they’ve reportedly set their sights on Terry Rozier, who’s been very durable since entering the league:

“This applies to one possible trade suitor in particular: the Charlotte Hornets,” Quinn added. “They have two hefty contracts on their books that might work as centerpieces of a Westbrook trade in Gordon Hayward and Terry Rozier. In the past five seasons, Rozier has missed just 19 total games. Hayward topped that twice over this season alone, and has obviously missed significantly more time over that extended period. For that reason, Stein reports that the Lakers would prefer Rozier as the centerpiece of a Hornets trade over Hayward.”

There’s no reason why the Hornets would want to land Westbrook having LaMelo Ball on their roster already. Then again, they have a long history of questionable decisions, so it wouldn’t be that big of a surprise.