Following an 0-3 start to the season, the Los Angeles Lakers are once again linked with several moves around the league. In recent hours, we learned that they’ve targeted four players in potential moves for Russell Westbrook. However, nothing has happened so far, as Russ stays in SoCal, ready to help the team.
After two bad games against the Los Angeles Clippers and Portland Trail Blazers, respectively, many fans want Westbrook out of the team again, and the team has reportedly identified which teams can be good trade partners.
It’s been only 3 games and the alarms are already set, but the Lakers will prefer to wait and see how the season develops before making a final decision on Westbrook or any other move they decide to make.
Los Angeles Lakers Are Being Patient To Make A Trade
According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the Lakers will wait ’20 or 25′ games before they make a final decision on a trade. Besides Russell Westbrook, they have two first-round picks that many teams would like to get. However, not everybody is willing to take on Russ’ hefty contract, meaning that they’ll have to wait to see which teams are open to making business.
For now, the Lakers appear determined to give the current roster a proper sample size of 20-to-25 games and assess their needs. Lakers vice president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka is tasked with balancing the team’s current state versus the future when using the only two first-round picks eligible to be traded for the remainder of this decade. And for the Lakers, the proper deal will take patience, strategy, internal resolve and growth.
This is a rational approach to this situation, but not everybody believes it’s the right course of action for the Lakers. As the days and games go by, the Lakers could find themselves in a position where it’ll be hard to make it to the playoffs, even if they finally make a move that sends Westbrook away and gets the Lakers some shooters.
The season is still young, and it seems like we’ll have to wait at least one month before we see what the team’s front office wants to do and if somebody around the league wants to make a deal with them.
