Three no-brainer Russell Westbrook trades for the Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers add shooting, keep their own draft picks, and add two second-rounders.
Why the Lakers do it: The main reason the Lakers would make this trade is to preserve their 2027 and 2029 first-round picks. Basketball-wise, Gordon Hayward is a match made in heaven for the Lakers. A 6’8 wing who can play on and off the ball and is a great three-point shooter. As a player, Gordon Hayward is everything the Lakers want next to their two stars.
The concern lies with his health. Ever since joining the Celtics, Hayward has been snake bitten by injuries and has struggled to stay on the court. This is a huge concern for the Lakers, who already have a brittle star in Anthony Davis. The other problem Hayward presents is his exorbitant contract, which has two years and 60 million dollars left.
Having him would leave the Lakers without cap space for next off-season. Meanwhile, Kelly Oubre is not the perfect fit due to his shooting woes. But he does possess decent size and is a tenacious on-ball defender on the perimeter, which would help the Lakers.
Why do the Hornets do it? For the Hornets, this is strictly a financial move. Normally, the Hornets would have to give away assets to get off Gordon Hayward’s contract. Fortunately for them, the Los Angeles Lakers found themselves in such a desperate situation that they would be giving away assets while taking on Hayward’s contract.
Work in Progress: Fixing each winless team. dark. Next
By doing this, the Hornets set themselves up to have more flexibility financially to build their team around their young star, Lamelo Ball.