Lakers Not Finding Russell Westbrook Trade That 'Elevates' Them

While the Lakers have been looking to move Russell Westbrook, it does not appear they have ever been in involved in talks with the Jazz and Knicks as a third team, despite some rumors.

Per ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, the Lakers have had several talks on possible three-way deals — though never any involving the Jazz and Knicks.

“From what I am told, while it would make sense for the Knicks to have done a three-way deal with the Jazz and Lakers, I am told that that was never part of the talks,” Windhorst said on The Hoop Collective Podcast, via RealGM. “There were three-team constructions between the Jazz and Knicks for Donovan Mitchell where players would go to a third team. They obviously didn’t do a deal, but the Lakers were never directly involved with that.”

Instead, the Lakers have been linked to the Pacers, Spurs and a few others when it comes to a potential Westbrook trade. But it seems they remain steadfast in not attaching their next two trade-eligible first-round picks (2027 and ’29) in a Westbrook deal.

Instead, they are more likely to keep Westbrook and his expiring $47.1 million contract into the season, perhaps trying to move him again ahead of the trade deadline in February.

“I just don’t think the Lakers believe right now there’s a Westbrook trade that they have, even with their picks, that elevates them,” Windhorst said, via RealGM. “The feel around the league is right now, and that can change in a week, the feel around the league from executives I talk to right now is that they’re going to try to make the best of what they have and hope for situations to change in their favor.”

The Lakers finished 33-49 last season, missing the playoffs altogether. Executives around the leaue seem to think they haven’t really do anything to improve themselves, beyond a coaching change from Frank Vogel to Darvin Ham. And most people will tell you that means little in the big scheme of things.

Per Marc Stein of The Stein Line, two sources indicated the Lakers are trying to deal Westbrook “with even greater conviction” than previous attempts. But the reality is, he very well could still be with the team at the start of training camp.

Sources have told Hoops Wire that the Lakers have talked to no less than five teams about a Westbrook trade this offseason, as we relayed here.

Westbrook, 33, averaged 18.5 points, 7.4 rebounds and 7.1 assists in 78 games last season, but proved to be an overall uneven fit next to LeBron James and Anthony Davis (when healthy).

The Lakers recently acquired Patrick Beverley in a trade with the Jazz, ramping up talk that they are looking to move on from Westbrook.