The Lakers lastly traded Russell Westbrook on Wednesday, ending the tireless hypothesis as to when, or if, they’d really achieve this. It solely value them one first-round choose (2027, top-four protected).
That’s the primary large win of this transfer for the Lakers. They did not have to surrender the 2029 choose as properly. After this season they’re going to both swap 2023 picks with New Orleans or retain their very own, giving them two firsts that may doubtlessly be moved previous to this summer time’s draft.
In the meantime, the Lakers get three good gamers (D’Angelo Russell, Jarred Vanderbilt, Malik Beasley) that may give them at the very least a preventing probability to make the playoffs this season, which, on paper, would not should be a complete waste anymore, with out committing assured future cash to any of them.
Russell is on an expiring deal. Beasley has a $16.5 million workforce possibility. Vanderbilt is barely assured $300,000 so long as he’s waived by June 30. The Lakers may commerce him earlier than that; even when they hold him, his $4.7 million 2023-24 quantity is not terribly punitive, notably for a participant as helpful as Vanderbilt.
In different phrases, the Lakers nonetheless have the power to clear at the very least the $47 million that may’ve come off their books with the expiration of Westbrook’s deal, leaving them with one thing north of $30 million in cap house. On the opposite hand, additionally they have the Bird rights to signal Russell and Beasley in the event that they see them as constructing blocks, with these two aforementioned picks to additional solidify the roster.
Long story brief, the Lakers prevented basically forfeiting this season by paying one future choose. It’s a really precious one, doubtlessly. But definitely worth the worth to provide LeBron James and Anthony Davis some actual assist. It’s going to go a great distance for Darvin Ham not should play these tiny three-guard lineups anymore.
Vanderbilt slots as a brick-solid defender in opposition to scoring wings and a roaming disruptor. Beasley is streaky however at occasions an elite 3-point shooter, one thing the Lakers desperately want. Russell, in the meantime, is having essentially the most environment friendly capturing season of his profession and might clearly help LeBron with half-court creation.
Do these guys make the Lakers a real contender? My intuition is to say no, however I’m not ruling it out. These are good gamers. More importantly, they match with LeBron and Anthony Davis, in contrast to Westbrook, who was a fish out of water from the minute he placed on a Lakers uniform. You give LeBron and Davis a practical, well-suited supporting forged, and so they can do actual injury.
The Lakers additionally may not be carried out. Perhaps they package deal one other future choose with Patrick Beverley and go looking for one other needle-moving contributor. My guess in the event that they’re carried out dealing, and so they did fairly properly. It was all the time believed that it will value them two future picks to shed Westbrook, however they have been in a position to do it for one whereas additionally bringing again three starting-caliber contributors, all with out compromising the pliability transferring into the summer time that they’ve fought to keep up.
