Lakers Rumors: Latest On Potential Russell Westbrook-To-Spurs Trade
With the most appetizing remaining Utah Jazz veteran, power forward Bojan Bogdanovic, now off the table as a potential trade acquisition for the Lakers, it certainly seems possible that the team could look to one of its other oft-discussed trade partners, the Indiana Pacers or the San Antonio Spurs, to get a deal done.
Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune reports that the Spurs (and Pacers) remain interested in taking on Westbrook's excessive $47.1 million expiring contract as the cost of doing business with L.A. for the team's incredibly appealing two future first-round draft picks in 2027 and 2029.
Larsen suggests that the veteran contracts of 30-year-old power forward Doug McDermott (set to earn $13.8 million next year), 29-year-old swingman Josh Richardson ($12.2 million) and 26-year-old defensive-oriented center Jakob Poeltl ($9.4 million) could be on the move in such a deal.
After trading the cost-effective contract of newly-minted All-Star guard Dejounte Murray to the Atlanta Hawks for future draft equity (three first-round picks and a future pick swap), the Spurs have implicitly signaled that they hope to enter into the 2023 draft lottery sweepstakes for French center Victor Wembanyama and NBA G League point guard Scoot Henderson. San Antonio's tank-a-palooza could certainly benefit from the team ditching some of its more competent, established talent.
With Patrick Beverley, Kendrick Nunn, and Dennis Schröder healthy and ready to contribute, Lakers are pretty loaded when it comes to mediocre point guard talent, with or without Westbrook. The club needs to build out its shooting, especially at the wing and forward spots, and to bolster its defense. The 6'5" Richardson (a 36.5% career three-point shooter on 4.3 attempts) and 6'8" McDermott (a 40.9% career long-range shooter on 3.4 looks) would help fix L.A.'s anticipated shooting woes, and Poeltl's rim protection in the paint would help the club spell Anthony Davis at center. The athletic Damian Jones and Thomas Bryant were both signed at center this summer, but Poeltl would represent an upgrade.
The Lakers have been reportedly reticent to take on money beyond the 2022-23 season, in the hopes of making a free agency splash in 2023. This is the wrong approach, given that wasting even one season of 37-year-old All-Star forward LeBron James while he's still near the peak of his powers would be a mistake. Among the three Spurs mentioned, Doug McDermott is signed through the 2023-24 season. This should not dissuade L.A. from taking on his money. Though McDermott has yet to develop the Kyle Korver-esque cutting game to make him a truly elite sharpshooting role player, the Creighton alum remains an excellent shooter.
Adding these three Spurs may not be a home run from a Lakers perspective. But it would certainly vastly improve the team's depth and balance its roster.
