There has been a lot of trade talk involving the Los Angeles Lakers that is centered around point guard Russell Westbrook. Things have not panned out as the organization had hoped it would when they acquired him from the Washington Wizards and many people have wondered aloud if they would try moving him.
That is easier said than done. Westbrook’s massive contract will make it extremely difficult to trade him, especially in season. While his statistics are still solid, a healthy debate can be held that his style of play is not conducive to winning.
There are still a lot of kinks that need to be worked out when it comes to acclimating Russell Westbrook into the team. But, it will be difficult to do that with how often the team’s lineup is changing.
Los Angeles has dealt with positive COVID-19 tests and multiple injuries throughout the season. The most difficult one to overcome is the loss of Anthony Davis.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: These 3 Trade Targets Make Sense For Lakers Using Nunn, Horton-Tucker
Davis sprained his knee against the Minnesota Timberwolves on December 17th. After being a season-high three games over the .500 mark heading into that game, Los Angeles has been on a slide.
They have lost five consecutive games despite LeBron James playing at a high level throughout the stretch. It has given the organization a look into what may be on the horizon, as there isn’t much to get excited about on this team in the long term.
This roster isn’t built to contend right now, but as long as LeBron James is on the team playing at the level that he is, they have a chance to surprise some people. But, their long-term outlook is bleak, similar to how it was before he joined the team.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: These 3 Trade Targets Make Sense For Lakers Using Nunn, Horton-Tucker
Marc Stein in a recent SubStack discussed that. Could Rob Pelinka look to make a shake-up, but instead of Russell Westbrook it is Anthony Davis on the move?
“They had the six worst seasons in franchise history before they got LeBron and who knows? It could be equally bumpy when the LeBron-AD era is over. I think that’s why you’ve kind of started hearing and it’s all very speculative… I want to stress that I have not heard anything to this effect. But you do start to hear that. People are asking the question, ‘Will they trade AD before his contract runs out so they don’t end up on that position?'”
When the Los Angeles Lakers acquired Davis from the New Orleans Pelicans for a package that included Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart and a boatload of draft picks, no one thought that he could be on the move relatively soon again. He was supposed to be the long-term building block for the Lakers post-LeBron, but that may no longer be the case.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: These 3 Trade Targets Make Sense For Lakers Using Nunn, Horton-Tucker
Despite some of his shortcomings, specifically his medical history, Anthony Davis, when engaged, can still be one of the best players in the league. He is a force on both ends of the court when he wants to be and someone that you should be able to build around.
Should the Los Angeles Lakers make him available before the end of his contract, there will be plenty of teams interested in acquiring him. While he may not be the leading star he is certainly capable of being, there aren’t many co-stars as talented as him around the league as he has shown alongside LeBron James.
