Los Angeles Lakers: Pros and cons of rumored Russell Westbrook trade
By Dalton Sell
The pros of the Los Angeles Lakers pursuing Russell Westbrook through trade
First and foremost, adding a point guard to complement James and Davis will be the top priority for the Lakers this offseason.
Schroder seems as good as gone as he was mentally checked out during the team’s postseason run, and he will likely be paid handsomely by another contending team this offseason. While it is not set in stone that he will leave, it seems to be a fair assumption. There will be no shortage of other potential guards to check in on, but the Westbrook rumors are entertainable to some extent.
The Lakers are in win-now mode with their superstar tandem not getting any younger, and adding a player like Westbrook would certainly provide a spark. The guard is coming off a year where he averaged a triple-double for the fourth time in his career by posting 22.2 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 11.7 assists across 65 games during the regular season. Westbrook’s scoring, playmaking, and stellar rebounding abilities would undoubtedly add a new dynamic to LA’s backcourt with one of the best point guards in the league today.
Pairing Westbrook with James and Davis would also be an interesting combination to form a lethal trio composed of sheer star power. While James has always taken on a larger ball-handling role, adding Westbrook would provide the Lakers with someone that can alleviate that pressure off of him and allow another pristine playmaker to conjure offense for himself and his teammates, which could be good when James needs a breather.
Aiming to make a statement and leap back into the forefront of contention next season, adding a fiery player with a motor like Westbrook would undeniably bring another element to this team.