The Los Angeles Lakers finally made a trade to improve the roster… and it hasn’t involved Russell Westbrook just yet. Rather, the team decided to part ways with guard Kendrick Nunn and three second-round picks for the services of Rui Hachimura of the Washington Wizards. Surprisingly, the Lakers did not wait until the trade deadline to make improvements to the 21-25 Los Angeles Lakers. Lakers fans should be quite happy with this deal because this could be the first good deal that Rob Pelinka has pulled off.
Hachimura is not precisely an All-Star player who will greatly impact the Lakers’ season, but he is a better forward option than the team has right now, especially with Anthony Davis out with an injury. The Japanese-born player will bring in some international fans to support the Lakers even more, but Hachimura is having a solid year by posting 13.0 PPG and 4.3 RPG in 24.3 MPG. No doubt, things could be picking up in La La Land right now, and this could be a good sign for the upcoming games and battle for the playoffs.
The Lakers are off to a good start in terms of adding pieces, especially since they didn’t give up much, but they could continue building their team if they pull the trigger on at least one of these trades. The Lakers, despite being 22-25, are not that far off from booking their playoff spot because as long as they have LeBron James and Anthony Davis, they have a chance.
The starting lineup looks very solid: Dennis Schroder as the point guard, LeBron James at small forward, Rui Hachimura stepping in for Anthony Davis at power forward, and Thomas Bryant balling at the center spot. All that is missing is a legitimate shooting guard who can bring scoring and star power to the roster.
With the team only one major piece away from contending, here are the 5 starting lineups the Lakers can create with 1 trade to add a star shooting guard.
Adding An NBA Champion And Shooting
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: Kyle Lowry, Duncan Robinson
Miami Heat Receive: Russell Westbrook, 2029 First-Round Pick
Lakers Starting Lineup: Kyle Lowry, Duncan Robinson, LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Thomas Bryant
Key Bench Players: Dennis Schroder, Patrick Beverley, Lonnie Walker IV, Troy Brown Jr, Max Christie, Rui Hachimura, Wenyen Gabriel
The Miami Heat are not the same team they were last year, as evidenced by how far they have fallen off from almost making the NBA Finals last year. They sit 6th in the Eastern Conference at 26-22, a far cry from what they were last year. Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, and Tyler Herro are all untouchable, but the team needs to make changes because the Kyle Lowry addition has not worked. The Heat and Lakers could involve each other in a trade to swap point guards and help each other according to their goals. Kyle Lowry and Duncan Robinson will head to Los Angeles for Russell Westbrook and a first-round pick in this projected deal.
Lowry immediately starts for the Lakers because even if he is past his prime, he is posting 12.8 PPG, 4.4 RPG, and 5.4 APG on 3.40% shooting from three this season. Kyle is a better shooter than Russ and a more complete defender who can play off the ball and bring championship experience. More than anything, Lowry adds championship experience and some decent shooting from deep to relieve LeBron James. Perhaps most importantly, the Lakers add an elite shooter, regardless of form.
Duncan Robinson is a career 40.1% three-point shooter, and he could rediscover his best form with the Lakers as he is only averaging 6.9 PPG this season on 17.9 MPG. Two guards that can shoot and play unselfishly around a star like LeBron James makes a ton of sense for the Lakers. Now, why would the Miami Heat take on Russel Westbrook? Low-risk, high-reward. If Russ continues to prosper as a 6th man, the Heat have 4 guys who can lead an offense. If it doesn’t work, Miami can let Westbrook walk next season and keep the first-round pick for the future or package it in a deal for another star.
Finally Striking A Deal With The Pacers
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: Buddy Hield, T.J. McConnell
Indiana Pacers Receive: Russell Westbrook, 2027 First-Round Pick
Lakers Starting Lineup: Dennis Schroder, Buddy Hield, LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Thomas Bryant
Key Bench Players: TJ McConnell, Patrick Beverley, Lonnie Walker IV, Troy Brown Jr, Max Christie, Rui Hachimura, Wenyen Gabriel
The Indiana Pacers and Los Angeles Lakers have been in contact all year about a potential trade to finally get Russell Westbrook out of Los Angeles and to Indiana. Buddy Hield is the dream target for Lakers fans because the man is a natural-born shooter. Buddy is shooting 39.8% from three over his career while having a strong season posting 17.5 PPG on 42.2% from outside. Eyebrows also started getting raised when the sharpshooter opted against signing a contract extension with the Pacers, possibly signaling a desire to play elsewhere. Losing a first-round pick will hurt the Lakers in the long term, but going after another championship is far more important because LeBron is 38 years old and will be 39 next year.
Los Angeles has a chance to compete by bringing in an elite sharpshooter but also adding in a tough-nosed point guard who is far more controlled with the ball in his hands. As a backup point guard, few players do it better than the underrated T.J. McConnell. Surrounding two capable guards around LeBron makes a ton of sense, especially because shooting and defense have been an issue over the past few seasons. Neither Hield nor McConnell are considered star players by any means, but they are perfect role players to complement superstar players who do the bulk of the lifting.
Indiana only has a year of Westbrook on the roster before having over $40 million off their salary cap, so that would be a solid rebuilding move along with the first-round pick. Indiana might want to tank while focusing their rebuild on Tyrese Haliburton and Benedict Mathurine. Westbrook can potentially help push the Pacers into the playoffs because the team is surprisingly doing well with a 23-25 record, which is good for 9th in the Western Conference.
Acquiring A Proven Veteran And Scorer
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: Mike Conley Jr, Jordan Clarkson
Utah Jazz Receive: Russell Westbrook, 2027 First-Round Pick
Lakers Starting Lineup: Mike Conley, Jordan Clarkson, LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Thomas Bryant
Key Bench Players: Dennis Schroder, Patrick Beverley, Lonnie Walker IV, Troy Brown Jr, Max Christie, Rui Hachimura, Wenyen Gabriel
Everybody expected the Utah Jazz to be one of the worst teams in the NBA this season, especially after getting rid of both Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert for first-round picks and young players. The biggest surprise so far from an individual standpoint is Lauri Markkanen, who deserves an All-Star selection because he is posting 24.8 PPG and 8.7 RPG this season, but the Jazz needs to go all-in by trading former All-Star point guard Mike Conley and former 6th Man of the Year Jordan Clarkson. A point guard who will turn 36 years old next year and a go-to bench scorer is obviously not in the plans for a Jazz team that prefers to lose games.
Conley fits better with the Los Angeles Lakers because he is a far better shooter and defender than Westbrook and can play off LeBron James and Anthony Davis in the lineup. The former All-Star shoots 38.1% from three over his career and is a steady point guard who is perfect as a third or fourth option on a championship team. No doubt, Conley becomes the starting point guard with Schroder coming off the bench. At the same time, Los Angeles will add a capable scorer who can score in bunches as the starting shooting guard alongside Conley and LeBron on the perimeter. Jordan Clarkson won the 6th Man of the Year award in 2021 and is averaging 21.2 PPG this season.
The Utah Jazz benefits from getting an expiring contract and a first-round pick, while Russell Westbrook also benefits from this trade. Westbrook may serve as the Jazz’s primary ball-handler and performer, returning to his triple-double form alongside a hot-handed Markkanen. Russ can become the most reputable and accomplished player on the team, a role in which he seems to thrive best in, as evidenced by his iconic MVP season in 2017 when the point guard was by far the best player on the team.
A Different Look With DeMar DeRozan
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: DeMar DeRozan
Chicago Bulls Receive: Russell Westbrook, 2027 First-Round Pick
Lakers Starting Lineup: Dennis Schroder, DeMar DeRozan, LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Thomas Bryant
Key Bench Players: Patrick Beverley, Lonnie Walker IV, Troy Brown Jr, Max Christie, Rui Hachimura, Wenyen Gabriel
DeMar DeRozan is continuing to play like an All-Star this season as he posts 26.1 PPG for the Chicago Bulls. Chicago is not one of the best teams in the East this year, holding a 21-24 record, which is not good enough for DeRozan or the other players on the team. DeRozan and LaVine were supposed to be a match made in heaven because both players can create their own offense and have the size to be impactful if their outside shots are not falling, but it is not working.
Looking back at DeRozan’s track record, he might have been a better fit than Westbrook from the start. Of course, Los Angeles might be kicking itself for not closing a deal on the All-Star offensive player before they went after the former 2017 MVP winner. Regardless, the Lakers have a chance to close a deal right now because the Bulls could be serious sellers before the trade deadline because they won’t win a championship with DeMar as their best player. In come the Lakers, who add one of the best pure scorers to play third option behind LeBron and Davis. Most importantly, DeRozan can lead the playoff push alongside James while Davis returns from his injury.
Chicago rebuilds with a first-round pick, which could be useful because the Lakers will struggle to do much of anything in 2027 when LeBron James retires. The Bulls also have a one-year rental of Russell Westbrook before the point guard is off the books for good. Chicago needs to acquire first-round picks to truly boost themselves into a rebuild, and if there are no better offers, the Lakers can come knocking.
A Superteam With Zach LaVine
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: Zach LaVine
Chicago Bulls Receive: Russell Westbrook, 2027 First-Round Pick, 2029 First-Round Pick
Lakers Starting Lineup: Dennis Schroder, Zach LaVine, LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Thomas Bryant
Key Bench Players: Patrick Beverley, Lonnie Walker IV, Troy Brown Jr, Max Christie, Rui Hachimura, Wenyen Gabriel
Even with his inconsistencies this season on an average Chicago Bulls, Zach LaVine is an All-Star shooting guard. In what can be considered a “down year,” LaVine is posting 24.1 PPG and seems to be picking up his offense as the weeks go by. LaVine has made 2 All-Star Teams already, and he is at risk of not making another one this season as he continues to barely scrape by victories with the Bulls. No doubt, LaVine is exactly what the Lakers need because his shooting percentages are very solid.
LaVine is shooting 38.4% from three, 84.3% from the free-throw line, and 52.2% on 2-PT field goals. The shooting guard has to do a lot to keep the Chicago Bulls afloat and would be better to be the second or third option for a title contender. Now, the Bulls and Lakers are not far off in terms of team record and play so far, but LaVine and LeBron are one heck of a duo. Of course, when Davis returns, the Lakers will have the best Big Three in the NBA.
The Chicago Bulls would be smart to move on from LaVine to gain assets, and almost every rebuilding team dreams about the Lakers’ two first-round picks. It is expected that the Lakers won’t be any good in the 2027 and 2029 seasons because LeBron will be long retired (most likely), and Davis probably won’t be around either. As the third option behind LeBron and Davis, LaVine would take the Lakers back to contention while the Bulls start stacking up on draft assets.
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