The Los Angeles Lakers made a blockbuster trade this summer, acquiring Russell Westbrook from the Washington Wizards in a blockbuster trade that sent multiple players to the Washington Wizards.
Prior to Westbrook making his Los Angeles homecoming, the Lakers were reportedly “closing in” on a deal that would have gotten them Sacramento Kings sharpshooter Buddy Hield. However, it looks as though the Lakers backed out, and chose a different direction for their team.
A recent report by Shams Charania, Bill Oram, and Sam Amick of The Athletic has revealed that the Sacramento Kings were “steaming” about the Lakers moving on from Hield. The Kings reportedly had “no idea” that a Russell Westbrook to the Lakers trade was even on the table, and were “stunned” by the Lakers’ decision.
Once Westbrook persuaded the Wizards to engage with L.A., the Lakers made a choice to back off of the Hield option, too. Even if Hield was a more natural fit for their structure, the Lakers believed Westbrook made them a more dangerous team in the postseason.
It was, in essence, the decision between a player they believed could be the difference-maker in a 16-game title run vs. one whose talents had only been utilized in the regular season.
The decision left Sacramento management steaming, sources said. The Kings had no idea they were even competing with a Westbrook deal, and they weren’t the only ones stunned by the reversal.
Buddy Hield would have certainly been an amazing fit next to LeBron James and Anthony Davis, but it seems as though the Lakers believed Russell Westbrook could do more for the team in the playoffs. After all, Russell Westbrook is an experienced veteran, and he has made the Finals prior in his career.
It remains to be seen how well the Los Angeles Lakers do next season, but a big three of Russell Westbrook, Anthony Davis, and LeBron James certainly make them a very dangerous team. The Los Angeles Lakers are a championship-caliber team based on the talent on the roster, and perhaps we’ll see them win it all next season.
