NBA Trade Rumors: Lakers ‘engaged’ in trade talks to acquire Russell Westbrook

The Los Angeles Lakers are acquiring Russell Westbrook in a trade that seems like a win-win for everyone involved. 

When NBA Draft night rolls around, you know things are going to get wild.

It’s not that the prospects being selected are going to do much more than give us some viral moments as they enter the league. Rather, trades are the focus of draft night and the Los Angeles Lakers have given us our first big rumble in the offseason jungle.

According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, the Lakers and Wizards are discussing a trade that would send Russell Westbrook to LA. Charania later reported the details of the deal:

The Lakers and Wizards are engaged on a trade that would send Russell Westbrook to L.A., sources tell Stadium and The Athletic,” Shams shouted as the shockwave of his bomb shook NBA Twitter to its very core. “Westbrook wants a move elsewhere and the Lakers are his preferred destination, sources said

Russ to Lakers: LA makes trade offer to Washington ahead of NBA Draft

Shams also outlines what the trade offer from the Lakers would be to net them Westbrook.

Lakers Get: Russell Westbrook
Wizards Get: Kyle Kuzma, Montrezl Harrell, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope

There’s also the possibility that the Lakers would send the No. 22 pick in the draft back east as part of the package but that detail is still unclear.

Russell Westbrook Contract

Westbrook comes to the Lakers with two years left on his contract, but they are massive hits to the ledgers.

Here’s what is left of the Russell Westbrook contract the Lakers are trading for:

2021-22: $44,211,146
2022-23: $47,063,478
2023: Unrestricted Free Agent

The last year of Westbrook’s deal is a player option.

It’s hard to call this a bad deal for either side. The Wizards are sellers this offseason, with Bradley Beal being their most valuable chip to cash in for a rebuild. Westbrook was always going to be a short-term stay, and while it was no doubt exciting there was a nihilistic feel to his time with the Wizards.

Washington getting back Kuzma is the biggest part of the deal for them, as it gives them a legitimate young player to build a core with — although, not around. The No. 22 pick would be nice but it’s not going to produce an instant star, however, if rebuilding is the name of the game then the Wizards can do worse.

It’d be bordering on cliche to talk about why this deal works for the Lakers. Westbrook joins a core of LeBron James and Anthony Davis, and LA gets the point guard it so badly needs.