Spurs Remain Interested in Lakers Trade for Russell Westbrook
The San Antonio Spurs are among the clear rebuilding teams in the NBA entering the 2022-23 season. They will remain among the top potential trade partners for teams seeking to shed salary cap spending involving unfavorable salaries.
There may not be a more unfavorable contract in active trade discussions than Russell Westbrook's deal, which will pay him $47.1 million during the upcoming season. The goal for any suitor would be to receive draft compensation from the Laker in any deal. The recipient would be expected to negotiate a buyout.
The main complication has been the Los Angeles Lakers' lack of interest in simply wanting to dump Westbrook's contract. They have been against the idea of attaching assets to move his deal as opposed to simply executing a trade to add genuinely key pieces.
In terms of veteran options like Josh Richardson and Doug McDermott, the Lakers are not intrigued by the options. There has been and remains a sentiment that better talent can be acquired from a team like the Indiana Pacers or Utah Jazz.
According to Spurs Talk, the Lakers had discussed a trade involving Russell Westbrook's contract with the Spurs earlier this offseason, but the two sides are no longer engaged in discussions. Los Angeles prefers what the Pacers and Jazz can offer.
There was hope from the Lakers that a potential Kyrie Irving trade with the Brooklyn Nets would transpire. Those hopes have long dissipated, which changes the outlook of what they could potentially pull off in a trade by attaching picks to Westbrook's massive salary.
There hasn't been much traction achieved in trade discussions involving the Lakers and Pacers. Those talks have even been described as 'dead' as of nearly two months ago. The asking price for Myles Turner in those discussions has remained high in addition to what would be needed to acquire Buddy Hield.
The Jazz are motivated sellers after moving on from both Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert. Bojan Bogdanovic has been the focus of trade discussions involving the Lakers and it currently appears as though a deal with Utah is most likely.
Other key Jazz veterans could be included in a trade along with Bogdanovic, including names like Mike Conley, Malik Beasley, or Jordan Clarkson. Any of those names would add helpful depth to the Lakers' backcourt rotation.
If the Lakers prove unable to reach a trade agreement with either the Jazz or Pacers, the Spurs remain a solid contingency option to give consideration. It just appears unlikely at this time that the situation will call for such an outcome.
You can follow Grant Afseth on Twitter at @GrantAfseth.
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