11 Wildcard trade candidates ahead of the deadline
By Cal Durrett
NBA Trade Candidate: Russell Westbrook
Despite playing much better of late, Russell Westbrook is reportedly still on the trade block. Whether he actually gets moved is anyone’s guess. It will depend on whether the Lakers can find smaller deals to improve their team. Acquiring Hachimura for Kendrick Nunn is a good start, but not enough to help them make the playoffs. If no other deal materializes, the Lakers may turn to their former rivals, the San Antonio Spurs, for assistance.
That same report suggests that the Lakers have an interest in Spurs center Jakob Poeltl as well as two of their sharpshooters, Doug McDermott and Josh Richardson. They could acquire all three in a deal for Westbrook, though it will require them to give up both their 2027 and 2029 first-round picks with light protections.
That deal could greatly benefit the Lakers, who, in combination with the Hachimura acquisition, could have four new rotation players and fix a lot of what ails the team. On the other hand, they will have given up five assets to make that happen, including two likely lottery picks. A Westbrook deal is the ultimate win-now play. It could theoretically put them back in title contention while also coming back to bite them in a few seasons. This decision could go either way.