Los Angeles Lakers Receive: G Evan Fournier, G Kemba Walker, C Nerlens Noel, F/C Taj Gibson
New York Knicks Receive: G Russell Westbrook, C DeAndre Jordan, G Kent Bazemore, 2025 First-Round Pick
This would be the case of two teams who have underperformed this season making a trade that could help each of them. Russell Westbrook would be headed to the Big Apple, while New York’s offseason acquisitions would land in Los Angeles.
The Knicks have been searching for a franchise point guard for what seems like years now. Kemba Walker was supposed to be that guy, but after a disappointing start led to him being benched, that doesn’t seem too likely. Westbrook could be the short-term solution.
Although he’s gotten a bad rep in Los Angeles, Westbrook has actually put together a solid season. He isn’t shooting very well from deep, as usual, but he’s putting up close to a triple-double. In New York, he would likely return to the form we saw in Washington.
Los Angeles would be getting two floor-spacers and a starting-caliber center. Evan Fournier and Walker haven’t panned out in New York, but both are still shooting fairly efficiently. That sort of efficient offense is exactly what the Lakers need around LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
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This is certainly a weird trade, but both sides could benefit from it. The Knicks would get a point guard to run the offense alongside Julius Randle and RJ Barrett, while the Los Angeles Lakers would get much-needed depth and more shooting around their own stars.