Lakers: Salary Cap Expert Outlines Six 'Realistic' Russell Westbrook Trades

Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report walked through six potential franchises that could have some level of interest in trading for Russell Westbrook.

The Lakers season is over, but the NBA world is already getting a head start on the Lakers offseason. One of the main questions, in addition to hiring a new head coach, is whether or not the LA front office decides to move on from Russell Westbrook and his $47M expiring contract this summer.

LA doesn't have a ton of options, but Bleacher Report's Eric Pincus put together a list of six teams that might be willing to explore acquiring Westbrook. At the right price. 

Oklahoma City Thunder

Lakers Receive:

-Derrick Favors

-Mike Muscala

Thunder Receive:

-Russell Westbrook

-Lakers 2027 first-round pick

-Lakers 2029 first-round pick

A Westbrook reunion probably isn't a high priority for an Oklahoma City Thunder team that has plenty of young talent. Especially young guard talent. However, general manager Sam Presti has proven that he's willing to continue to stockpile draft capital like it's going out of style.

The bigger question is whether or not the Lakers are desperate enough to use the dregs of their limited future draft picks. 

Indiana Pacers

Lakers Receive

-Buddy Hield

-Malcolm Brogdon

Pacers Receive

-Russell Westbrook

-Kendrick Nunn

-Additional draft compensation

As Pincus notes in his article, the Pacers have been a team frequently tied to a potential Russell Westbrook trade. The preeminent feeling is that Indiana wants to build around Tyrese Hailburton and that could lead to the team shipping off Buddy Hield, Malcolm Brogdon, or both. Brogdon is signed through the 2024-2025 season while Hield's deal runs through 2023-2024. 

Brogdon and Hield would provide some much needing three-point shooting for the Lakers, but would combine to lock up around $42M of cap space annually. 

New York Knicks

Pincus threw out a slew of names without a clearly defined hypothetical trade between the Knicks and the Lakers. His reasoning aligns with other recent reports that Julius Randle is unhappy in New York and the team could be interested in jettisoning Kemba Walker, Evan Fournier, and Alec Burks. 

Much like the Lakers, the Knicks might need a serious roster overhaul after falling fall short of expectations this past season. 

However, Bleacher Report's Jake Fischer reported in late March that the Knicks have zero interest in a Westbrook trade. So it's a dead end...for now. 

Detroit Pistons

Lakers Receive

-Jerami Grant

Pistons Receive

-Russell Westbrook

-Lakers 2027 first-round pick

-Lakers 2029 first-round pick

Speaking of rumors that aren't completely new, how about Jerami Grant? The Cade Cunningham Era has officially begun in Detroit. That likely means that Grant's days of 16 shot attempts per game could be over. 

Grant has one-year left on his contract so if Detroit doesn't want to lose him for nothing, they could be a potential Westbrook landing spot. For one, if not both of the Lakers first-round picks, naturally. 

Houston Rockets

Lakers Receive

-Christian Wood

-Eric Gordon

-David Nwaba

Rockets Receive

-Russell Westbrook

-Additional draft compensation

The Lakers communicated their thoughts on John Wall to the Rockets back at the trade deadline - not interested. However, if the Rockets want to take the next step in the full demolition of their roster, they cold send a trio of veterans with some value in exchange for Westbrook. 

Pincus theorized that shipping out Wood, Gordon, and Nwaba, and then buying out Westbrook and Wall, could have some appeal for a Houston team trying to tear it down to the studs. 

On the Lakers side of things, Wood would give the Lakers a true five and allow Davis to play his preferred position of power forward more. Gordon would give LA an off-ball guard that was a three-point sharp shooter this past season (41.2%).

Charlotte Hornets

Lakers Receive 

-Gordon Hayward

-Terry Rozier

Hornets Receive

-Russell Westbrook

Yesterday, Marc Stein reported that the Lakers likely won't be very inclined to execute a trade with Gordon Hayward as the centerpiece. Pincus discussed that same hurdle, but, like Stein, believes that the inclusion of Terry Rozier in a potential Russ trade could grease the wheels for the Lakers. 

The first year of Rozier's four-year extension kicks in next year, so bringing in Hayward and Rozier could be a big gamble for the Lakers front office. 

Lakers: LA Insiders List Scott Brooks As Potential Head Coaching Candidate