How Recent Jazz Trade Impacts Spurs' Outlook for Russell Westbrook
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The Los Angeles Lakers appear primed to enter training camp with Russell Westbrook on the roster. It looks increasingly likely that he will remain with the team to begin the 2022-23 NBA season.
There are now potentially fewer options for the Lakers to do business with regarding a potential Westbrook trade. The Utah Jazz finalized a trade to send Bojan Bogdanovic to the Detroit Pistons on Thursday. Now, it's difficult to foresee a trade framework for a Westbrook deal to get done with Utah without being able to include Bogdanovic anymore.
There's more to consider for the Lakers' prospects of getting a Westbrook trade done. According to Shams Charania, the Lakers remained unwilling to part with two unprotected future first-round picks in trade negotiations with the Indiana Pacers in exchange for Buddy Hield or Myles Turner.
“I'm told the Lakers and Pacers did engage in some trade conversations this week and the Pacers' demand for two unprotected first-round picks … is just not appealing for the Lakers,” Charania said.
The talks between the Lakers and Pacers were described as 'dead' around two months ago for the same reasons as the latest round of reporting: Los Angeles doesn't want to part with multiple unprotected future first-round picks.
The Lakers surely will hope that by staying patient, they can get one of those teams to come down on their asking price of future draft picks. With fewer potential suitors for Westbrook's contract, the remaining options may gain leverage.
While some may critique the Lakers for their unwillingness to part with distant future draft assets while they have LeBron James, it's a decision that could have major implications. There is no guarantee they even are contenders after a trade.
Perhaps there will eventually be some middle ground reached, even if the situation carries into the season. The Lakers can try out Westbrook under coach Darvin Ham's leadership. If results aren't there, a team looking to bottom out and move salaries could be ideal. That's where the San Antonio Spurs would likely become a more favorable trade suitor.
The Spurs can offer a combination of veteran players, including Jakob Poeltl, Josh Richardson, or Doug McDermott to make the money work. In return, they'd be compensated with future draft capital from the Lakers to take on Westbrook's $47.1 million expiring salary.
Like the Spurs, a team that acquires Westbrook in a trade would be doing so to reach a buyout agreement, or to keep him at home while his final-year salary gradually expires. As games get played, the cost for a buyout becomes increasingly less daunting for a franchise to negotiate.
In the NBA, a trade doesn't tend to come down to what is the best deal for surface-level value. There is a matter of being a trade suitor that calls at the right time or maintains dialogue. As a result, Westbrook's name remains one to watch in trade talks.
For the Spurs, they will likely need to come down on their asking price for Poeltl and Richardson. As a result, both the Lakers and Spurs could become increasingly incentivized to make a trade during the season, depending on how they start out.
You can follow Grant Afseth on Twitter at @GrantAfseth.
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