Los Angeles Lakers have finally found a trade deal to ship off the underfire point guard, Russell Westbrook.
LA Lakers brought in Russell Westbrook from Washington Wizards in the 2021 mid-season. The initial idea was to place the point guard alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis to strengthen the attacking lineup. However, the strategy did not pan out as expected. The point guard was all over the place in the postseason, which accounted for the Lakers’ ouster from the playoffs.
Meanwhile, Russell Westbrook’s expectations of a better next season fell apart once again as the Lakers stare at a potential playoff elimination for the second time in a row. On top of that, the former head coach, Frank Vogel, had to take the fall for the point guard’s poor show. So this time, as soon as the trade window opened up, the purple and gold looked out for a possible trade deal to oust Westbrook. After constant rumors, a deal finally seems to have come through.
Russell Westbrook Headed To Utah Jazz In A Three Team Trade Deal
ESPN NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski, a few hours ago, reported the Lakers, Utah Jazz, and Minnesota Timberwolves have engaged in a three-team trade deal which will result in the swapping of as many as eight-point guards. For starters, Timberwolves will hand out D’Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley, and Jarred Vanderbilt to the Lakers, while they receive Mike Conley, Nickeil Alexander-Walker along with a few draft picks from the Jazz.
Furthermore, the LA Lakers will ship Russell Westbrook along with Juan Toscano-Anderson, Damian Jones, and the 2027 first-round pick to the Utah Jazz. However, the Jazz’s association with Westbrook is unlikely to last long as the former will buy out the point guard towards the end of the ongoing season. Hence, we might see Russel Westbrook in free agency next season. Meanwhile, Adrian confirmed the players involved are informed about the details of the trade, and the deal has been finalized.
Also in deal: Juan Toscano-Anderson and Damian Jones to Jazz, Nickeil Alexander-Walker to the Timberwolves, sources said.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 9, 2023
Westbrook Headed To Free Agency Next Season, D’Angelo Reunites With Lakers
Westbrook’s dreadful stay at the LA Lakers is finally coming to an end. The fans, management, and Russell Westbrook himself will breathe a sigh of relief. The point guard’s ball-playing style broke the Lakers’ harmony. Moreover, the $44 million yearly salary also bothered the management. Hence the trade was inevitable. Meanwhile, even Jazz does not intend to extend Westbroook’s stay as they are likely to buy him out next season. Further, the Clippers and Bulls have shown potential interest in Russell Westbrook.
On the other hand, D’Angelo Russell is all set to reunite with his former team LA Lakers after five years. After getting picked in the second draft in 2015, an ugly altercation with a teammate during his rookie year led to Russell’s abrupt ouster. The Lakers were forced to trade Russell to the Nets in 2017. While D’Angelo thrived under the Nets, the Lakers watched in dismay. However, as the Lakers reunite with Russell, they will hope for a better run this time around.