Lakers Notes: Picks, Anthony Davis, LeBron James, Russell Westbrook

All the talk with the Lakers is whether they are willing to deal their next two trade-eligible first-round picks to improve the roster.

That likely won’t go away until after the Feb. 9 trade deadline. And with Russell Westbrook playing better off the bench, suddenly, Westbrook’s expiring contract and those two picks may be a little more enticing.

Per Dave McMenamin of ESPN, the Lakers are indeed open to moving the picks, provided they can be used for a deal that moves the needle.

“I think the big question that will be pertinent to the LeBron James‘ view of the now vs. the future is are the Lakers actually committed to moving those picks if the right deal occurs?” McMenamin said on The Hoop Collective podcast with Brian Windhorst, via RealGM. “From the information I have, they are. But they will not do a deal now if they don’t feel like it’s the right deal.”

This comes after James seemingly hinted that the Lakers should do something, while speaking with Sam Amick of The Athletic.

But if the Lakers don’t make a move at all, there is not any indication that James would try to force his way off the roster in the offseason, Windhorst said, via RealGM.

• Star big man Anthony Davis is ramping up his workouts this week as the pain as in his right foot continues to wane, per McMenamin. Davis missed his 13th straight game Monday, when the Lakers’ five-game winning streak was snapped by the Nuggets. His workouts include an aquatic pool and alter-gravity treadmill, McMenamin reported.
• Westbrook dislocated his right pinky during the loss to the Nuggets, but popped kit back into place, he told reporters. X-rays on the finger were negative, per Jovan Buha of The Athletic.
• Coach Darvin Ham said he didn’t yet know the severity of the hip injury to guard Patrick Beverley, per Buha. Beverley suffered the injury after slipping under the Nuggets’ basket.