The Los Angeles Lakers have been trying to improve their roster for quite some time now. They decided to break up the 2019-20 NBA Championship-winning roster, and now, in hindsight, it seems like a huge mistake made by the team’s front office.
But even after making that decision, the Lakers have had plenty of chances to improve the team by adding quality players. However, more often than not, the Lakers have opted to save their future first-round picks. As a result, the Lakers have started their 2022-23 NBA season in an awful way.
One trade that could have saved the franchise was arguably the one involving the Houston Rockets. It was reported in February 2022 by Ramona Shelburne and Dave McMenamin that the Lakers could have traded Russell Westbrook for John Wall and Christian Wood.
(Starts at 21:25):
McMenamin: “There was an iteration of the John Wall trade that included Christian Wood that would have involved more money. I’ve been told from other sources in Houston that there was a message that the Lakers were not willing to take on more money.”
Shelburne: “That’s kind of the word around the league that the Lakers were making calls, if there was a trade that made sense, they would do it. I’ve heard it described as ‘maybe half-hearted efforts.’ They would do something if it was low-hanging fruit but they weren’t really willing to feel any pain, whether that was luxury tax money, whether that was more encumberment in the future, whether that was draft compensation. In other words, they called, they tried to do some things but there wasn’t a sense of the same kind of urgency I think you heard from the players the night of the Milwaukee game and especially after the Portland game.”
Fast forward to the 2022-23 NBA season, and John Wall put up a great performance against the Lakers, but he has now signed with the Los Angeles Clippers.
NBA Fans Call Out The Lakers For Not Trading For John Wall And Christian Wood Last Season
The Lakers were recently embarrassed by the Clippers in their matchup. The Clippers easily won the game and improved their record to 33-7 against the Lakers in the last 10 seasons.
Don't forget the Lakers turned down an opportunity to get both John Wall and Christian Wood for Russell Westbrook.
Wall tonight in 1 quarter: 8 points, 4/4 from the field
— Lakers Daily (@LakersDailyCom) October 21, 2022
This was just one example of how Lakers fans are angry at the franchise for not pulling the trigger for that trade. The biggest reason the Lakers held back was that they did not want to take more money.
Not because He's that good but the Laker's defense is that bad, he's looking surprised himself
— JustDHere (@JustDHere) October 21, 2022
Should've been an immediate yes from the Lakers. Have to think they just hadn't watched Wall through the years to know how great he was/is. Better basketball IQ >>> Russ's historic stats.
— Justin Harris (@justinlharris) October 21, 2022
Rob Pelinka is an awful GM. He can't evaluate talent and put together a roster.
— KMO27 (@KMO275) October 21, 2022
Rob P is an awful GM & gets to emotionally attached to players and should have traded russ .
— 🦍 (@ajsninety7) October 21, 2022
Don’t remind us pic.twitter.com/W7eMNqeFzb
— Dre B. (@DreBMusic) October 21, 2022
https://twitter.com/DrowTheCEO/status/1583311281267695617
THEY GAVE ROB AN EXTENSION.
— LakeShowJoe (@LakeShowJoe_) October 21, 2022
That lakers board is the problem
— Archie (@emzyarch) October 21, 2022
https://twitter.com/Jean_Owens_07/status/1583319070346162177https://twitter.com/Jean_Owens_07/status/1583319016394805250
Many fans straightaway urged the Lakers ownership to fire their general manager Rob Pelinka as he has made several bad decisions during his tenure with the franchise. At the end of the day, no good can come from thinking about what the Lakers could have done. The only thing that matters right now is that they find a way to improve their three-point shooting and at least advance to the NBA playoffs.
