Philadelphia 76ers Receive: G Russell Westbrook
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: G/F Ben Simmons, G Isaiah Joe, G Jaden Springer
The Philadelphia 76ers clearly need to move on from Ben Simmons in some form. Meanwhile, Russell Westbrook has more chance than not of being an ill-fitting piece for the Los Angeles Lakers. Could the two sides benefit from executing a trade later in the season?
The proverbial elephant in the room is…do the 76ers consider Westbrook a real superstar?
Winning an MVP award was highly impressive, but at this stage of his career, Westbrook has shown concerning signs when of inefficiency to begin his seasons. It takes a heroic effort in a late-season rally to make up for it.
However, do the 76ers have confidence in soon-to-be 33-year-old Westbrook being a multi-year solution to win a championship in Joel Embiid’s prime? Giving up Ben Simmons to land a once thought to be an untradable contract isn’t an easy proposition.
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The 76ers’ opinion of Westbrook will have a lot to do with whether this is a viable trade or not. Daryl Morey has his sights set on Damian Lillard or Bradley Beal, but if that becomes unlikely to occur, could he shift course? That all remains to be seen, but in the meantime, it’s intriguing to think about.
This trade would certainly garner some headlines. How are the teams impacted by this move? Let’s take a look at it from each of their perspectives, starting with the Lakers.
