The Best Shooters The Los Angeles Lakers Can Land In A Trade Around Russell Westbrook

The definition of insanity is making the same mistake over and over again. Despite how badly the Russell Westbrook experiment failed last season, the Lakers look worse off now. The Lakers have begun the NBA season with an 0-3 season where Westbrook is shooting 28.9% from the field and 8.3% from three-point range. The Lakers have four opponents on their schedule that could be in the playoffs in the Nuggets, Timberwolves, Nuggets (again), and Pelicans. This team could easily be 0-7 after November 2nd.

The rumors swirled around Westbrook during the offseason, and nothing happened. The team had hired a new head coach, and it appears that the group wanted to see how this could fit together. According to Shams Charania, the Lakers are going to give this group a 20-game sample size before rushing into a deal, but isn’t that too long? If a change doesn’t happen, the Lakers could stumble out to a 5-15 record or something worse. The team has a superstar in LeBron James, turning 38 years old in December. The time in this experiment does not have a long life.

In a perfect world, the Lakers would climb back to being 10-10. If the Lakers could get to .500 and then complete a trade, that would be a huge motivational jump for the franchise. The mindset can’t just be making the playoffs. With LeBron’s NBA career twinkling down and the health of Anthony Davis being a major question mark, the team has to compete for a championship right now. Getting rid of Westbrook appears to be the first domino to fall in reaching that quest.

If the Lakers are going to make a run for the championship, the team is going to need to make a change for some outside shooting. If the Lakers trade Westbrook, the team will have Dennis Schroder, Austin Reaves, Kendrick Nunn, and Lonnie Walker IV fighting for minutes. The only player that owns a career three-point shooting percentage is over 34%, and that is Nunn at 36.2%. The team needs to flip Westbrook for a player that can shoot. Only one team in the history of the NBA has started a season shooting 100 three-point shots and owns a percentage less than 21.2%.

If the Lakers continue to sink, a trade should happen sooner than later. These 10 players are potential targets that the Lakers could get in return for Westbrook.

10. Terrence Ross

Ross has been a player that has been speculated for a few years. Ross has played for the Magic since the 2016-17 season. He is a career 36.2% shooter from three-point range. With the Magic, he shot 38.3% during the 2018-19 season but was 29.2% last season. With the Raptors, Ross shot at least 37% three different times when he played with the likes of Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan.

Having a player that can handle the ball and draw defenders is what LeBron would bring to the table. The Lakers could take a chance on Ross. The real challenge would be finding a third team to help with the salary. Ross is paid just above $11 million. So far, Ross has started hot this season by averaging 45.0% shooting from three-point range.

9. Davis Bertans

Most teams would like to get rid of this contract. Given that the Mavericks probably don’t want to spend $16 million on Bertans, it is a contract that could be moved. During the 2020-21 season, Bertans shot 39.5% from three-point range. That was following two consecutive seasons of shooting over 40% from outside. Last year, Bertans shot 31.9% with the Wizards but he saw that increase to 36.0% in 22 games with the Mavericks.

This trade would not work unless a third team got involved. There is one scenario where the Lakers could take Bertans, Josh Richardson, and Reggie Bullock. The Spurs would take the expiring deal of Westbrook and then draft picks, while the Mavericks would get Doug McDermott. The Mavericks would get rid of their contract of Bertans while upgrading their outside shooting with McDermott, while the Lakers get two legitimate shooters in Bertans and Richardson.

8. Evan Fournier

On paper, pairing Westbrook with head coach Tom Thibodeau makes all the sense in the world. Thibodeau is a coach that resurrects careers. He made DJ Augustine, John Lucas III, and now Derrick Rose look pretty good after a period where they appeared to be out of the league. Westbrook is at a point in his career where many are ready to write him off. If he could show the world that he is still a productive player in the league, that would help the Knicks right now and his career in the future. As for Fournier, his fit in New York has looked clunky. For a career 38.1% shooter from outside, he would greatly help the Lakers.

There are issues with this trade, though. In the offseason, sending Westbrook to the Knicks made sense because the team needed a point guard. Then, the team made a deal for Jalen Brunson. Are the Knicks willing to commit $140 million to two-point guards? The Lakers would need the Knicks to send over multiple players as well. A deal that consists of Fournier, Derrick Rose, and Cam Reddish for Westbrook and two picks could work, but how would this help the Knicks?

7. Jordan Clarkson

The trade that would likely save the Lakers would be sending Westbrook to the Utah Jazz for Mike Conley Jr. and Jordan Clarkson. The Lakers would get two veteran shooters that are capable of complementing the team. Conley could take over as the starting point guard with ease and is shooting near 38% from three-point range. Meanwhile, Clarkson is a former Sixth Man of the Year that could lead the second unit. Overall, this trade would be a no-brainer for the Lakers.

The issue is what do the Jazz want to do? The team traded away Donovan Mitchell, Bojan Bogdanovic, Royce O’Neale, and Rudy Gobert in the offseason. The team was believed to be moving both Conley and Clarkson, too. The team is off to a 3-0 start to the season. Is one first-round draft pick worth Conley and Clarkson? Westbrook’s expiring $47 million is a useful asset for the Jazz though because Conley and Clarkson both have multi-year deals. If the Jazz keeps winning, this could complicate things.

6. Eric Gordon

Gordon was viewed as a target for the Lakers during the summer. Senior writer Marc Stein mentioned that the Lakers viewed Gordon as a trade target. With that said, that was during a time when the Lakers were viewed as a team that was in the Kyrie Irving sweepstakes. We have come a long way since the rumors dried up. The Rockets were rumored to be wanting a hefty haul for the former Sixth Man of the Year.

Even if the Lakers could provide that haul, it wouldn’t matter without another team. It is unlikely that the Rockets would ship any other salary to accommodate the Lakers. The next highest-paid players on the roster are Jalen Green and Jabari Smith Jr. If the Lakers and Rockets swapped Westbrook and draft picks for Gordon, the Rockets would be over the luxury tax.

5. Josh Richardson

There is a scenario where the Lakers could land Josh Richardson and Terry Rozier in a three-team trade. As outlined by Charania, the Spurs are the third team with $26.5 million in cap space that could take on Westbrook’s salary without having to send out matching contracts. This three-team trade would send Richardson and Rozier to the Lakers with Westbrook and a first-round pick going to the Spurs, while a first-round pick and other agreed-upon compensation would go to Charlotte.

This would depend on the Hornets giving up Rozier for one first-round pick. For a mid-$20 million per season, Rozier’s contract is not a terrible one for these next three seasons. Not to mention, the Spurs would have issues with taking on Westbrook without landing two first-round picks. We will get to Rozier more in a little bit, but if the Lakers could get Richardson, then the team would get a player that has hovered around 40% shooting the last three seasons. Last year, Richardson shot 44.4% from three-point range with the Spurs and 39.7% with the Celtics.

4. Duncan Robinson

The Lakers could try and persuade the Heat to take a chance on Westbrook by trading Kyle Lowry and Duncan Robinson for Westbrook and a 2029 first-round pick. The addition of Robinson would give James a player that knows how to play a complementary role. Robinson has shown he can be an elite shooter that can score in a variety of ways from the perimeter. As for Lowry, this gives the Lakers a true backup point guard. The Lakers could go back to starting Dennis Schroder or allow James to run the point as he did during that championship game.

The Lakers have entertained the idea of Westbrook coming off of the bench. That is not going to go well with a first-year head coach. However, the idea of Westbrook coming off of the bench with the Heat is intriguing. For starters. Erik Spoelstra is someone that would command that respect because he is a championship-winning coach. Second, the move would require Gabe Vincent to start, which the third-year guard could do. The second unit would feature Westbrook, Victor Oladipo, and Max Strus. That’s not a bad core to get the team over the hump offensively while Tyler Herro and Jimmy Butler take a break.

3. Terry Rozier

If you take away the first two years of Rozier’s career, his three-point shooting percentage would be much higher. Rozier has shot less than 37% from three-point range one time since 2017. There is a way to make the salary work with this. Rozier is entering the first season of a four-year, $96.3 million extension he signed last September. With that said, the Lakers would have to find a way to convince the Hornets to add a significant salary to the $21.5 million he is earning this season to make it work.

This trade would depend on what the Hornets want to accomplish. The team has two more years of LaMelo Ball on a rookie contract, but you would figure that is one building block the team could build around for the future. The team has two years of Gordon Hayward left on his deal, which expires in 2024. The Hornets could ship Rozier, Kelly Oubre ($12.6 million), and the expiring contract of Mason Plumlee ($9.1 million) and ask for draft capital in return. The Lakers would have two expiring contracts but are on the hook for Rozier for three more years. If the Hornets want to tear it all down, this could work. If not, the three-team trade as outlined is a possibility.

2. Gary Trent Jr.

The Lakers could entertain the Raptors with a swap of Westbrook and a draft pick for Trent, but this would require a third team like the Spurs to bite on this. Trent is making $17.5 million this season and owns a player option for next season. In a perfect world, this would be a great fit for the Lakers. Trent has shot the ball very well in the last few years. Trent shot 39.7% with the Trail Blazers before getting traded to the Raptors. In his first full season in Toronto, he shot 38.3% from three and is already off to a hot start with a percentage over 40% this season.

Because Trent is so affordable, getting this deal done with the Raptors would be nearly impossible without a third team. The two salaries higher than Trent’s are Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet. Acquiring Siakam would defeat the purpose of trading Westbrook in the first place, while VanVleet is coming off an All-Star appearance. The only other players making at least $10 million or more are OG Anunoby and Chris Boucher. While Trent would be a great fit, this trade would not be realistic unless a team like San Antonio got involved.

1. Buddy Hield

The Pacers would have to package Myles Turner and Buddy Hield to make it work with the salary. This would fill two major holes for the Lakers. Turner would be a great fit in the center and help take some pressure off of Davis. Since this is all about shooting, let’s take a look at what Hield would bring to the table. Hield would instantly be the team’s best outside shooter. He has started the season shooting 9 of 23 from three-point range, which is good for 39.1%. Hield is a career 39.8% shooter from outside.

The addition of Hield would allow the Lakers to finally space the floor. James is at his best when he is driving to the basket. By driving to the hoop, it would leave some shooters open. James is such a gifted passer that he could find Hield and others for open shots. However, because opposing teams are aware of the team’s lack of shooting, they can keep everything tight and keep the Lakers on the three-point line. With Hield in the fold, he would probably get back to shooting over 40%, something he did three times with the Kings. 

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