16 Players that will likely change teams by the NBA trade deadline

1. Patrick Beverley

Unlike Russell Westbrook, the decision to trade Patrick Beverley appears to be more clear-cut. Beverley hasn’t lived up to expectations this season after he was acquired from the Utah Jazz last summer. With Beverley’s $13 million contract expiring, he is a prime trade candidate for the Lakers.

Swapping Beverley out for a good rotation player or even a starting-caliber player would be huge for the Lakers. After all, when fully healthy, they already have a decent rotation led by their two superstars. Thus, adding another player to the mix could be the tipping point that unlocks the Lakers’ potential. Much like with a potential Westbrook deal, they will have to weigh trading a future first-round pick against that.

Given their limit on the salary they can take back in a Beverley deal, they can get away with moving just one of their remaining picks. But would they get enough of an upgrade to justify trading a pick in the first place? Maybe. For example, a deal involving Beverley and their 2027 first for Bojan Bogdanovic could be a possibility.

By trading Beverley instead of Westbrook, the Lakers would be choosing a more minor deal over a bigger and more impactful one. Then again, to their credit, perhaps the Lakers don’t need a big trade.