Would this trade make sense for the Los Angeles Lakers?

For the Los Angeles Lakers, this would be somewhat of a reset for them. They’d get off of Russell Westbrook’s massive contract, add a few tradable ones, and get three players who could actually play some decent minutes for them this season.

The cost of two firsts and two seconds may seem steep, but one has to consider the package. The Oklahoma City Thunder would probably want at least one first to take on the Westbrook contract. Plus, they’d likely ask for a first in exchange for Kenrich Williams, and then a couple of seconds would be enough for the two big men (and extra compensation for Westbrook’s contract).

Williams’ potential impact on the Lakers shouldn’t be understated, either. They don’t call him Kenny Hustle for nothing. He’s a constant energy boost when on the floor and does a bit of everything. Throw in a great three-point percentage, and Williams is a great guy to have.

While neither Derrick Favors nor Mike Muscala is a starting-caliber center, both would be an upgrade over LA’s current big man rotation. In particular, Muscala’s shooting would be nice to have. Mostly, though, this is just the only package Oklahoma City would be willing to give up.

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At its core, this trade is a salary dump. Do the Los Angeles Lakers get back a few okay pieces? Sure. But the only way they make this trade is if they feel as though Westbrook is legitimately hurting the team, and the only way to win is to get rid of him. That’s called drastic measures.