The Los Angeles Lakers are a team that missed the play-in tournament and by extension the playoffs this season. The two seasons following their championship-winning season in 2020 have been disappointing for the team, and it’s clear that they need to make some changes if they are to become a championship-contending team once again.
One of the ways to do that would be to move on from Russell Westbrook. The point guard is still a good player, but trading for him has obviously not led to the desired result for the team.
An Instagram post by Shahin Ourian asked Lakers fans about which Russell Westbrook trade scenario they would prefer. The post featured trade scenarios with 5 different teams, and a few of those scenarios would net the Lakers multiple impact players, such as the trade scenario with the Indiana Pacers featuring Buddy Hield and Malcolm Brogdon. A lot of fans reacted with their choice for the query.
There is no doubt that all of those scenarios could be beneficial for the Lakers. There are also other hypothetical trades that could help the team, with some of those scenarios involving three-team trades.
However, there is also a chance that Russell Westbrook ends up staying on the Los Angeles Lakers. He has previously expressed his desire to run it back with Anthony Davis and LeBron James, so perhaps the Lakers will give him the opportunity to do so.
It remains to be seen what sort of moves the Los Angeles Lakers enact to build a championship-level core around LeBron James and Anthony Davis. They have the stars to make a run: but the key will be putting the right players around them, and we’ll see if Rob Pelinka and the front office will be able to get that done.
