The Los Angeles Lakers are a team that everyone will be keeping an eye on this upcoming NBA offseason. There could be a lot of changes for the purple and gold as the front office and coaching staff could be overhauled along with the roster.
The one player that seems likeliest to be on the move during the offseason is point guard Russell Westbrook. Rob Pelinka took a major gamble acquiring him from the Washington Wizards, essentially capping out and using all of the team’s resources to do so. It has not panned out as hoped, as the Lakers are going to fight and claw just to make the NBA Play-In Tournament.
While Westbrook is far from the only reason the team has struggled, as injuries have been a big problem as well, his fit alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis was always a questionable one. As the season played out, the issues many people predicted would occur came to fruition.
If Los Angeles wants any hope of getting things back on track, moving on from Westbrook is a must. The two sides are reportedly ready to part ways, but that is easier said than done. How many teams are going to be legitimately interested in acquiring Russell Westbrook?
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One team that could be a match is the Detroit Pistons. A hypothetical trade between the teams would help the Los Angeles Lakers clear some cap space, but it would cost them in the way of draft compensation.
Westbrook, their coveted 2027 first-round pick, and a 2028 first-round swap is sent to Detroit in exchange for Jerami Grant and Kelly Olynyk. Grant could be the third star that the Lakers covet alongside James and Davis. His two-way skillset is something that should play well alongside those two All-Stars.
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Olynyk was overpaid in free agency by the Detroit Pistons but he can still be a serviceable big man in the rotation. His 3-point shooting is something that the Los Angeles Lakers would benefit from, especially in their frontcourt, to enable James and Davis to work on the interior.
Los Angeles was hesitant to include future first-round picks in negotiations ahead of the 2022 NBA Trade Deadline, but it is something they will have to seriously consider if they want to move Russell Westbrook this offseason. As an expiring deal, he is a little easier to move, but $47 million is still a lot for any team to take on.
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As a rebuilding team, the Detroit Pistons may be open to taking on the contract for more future assets in the form of draft capital. Grant is certainly a better fit for the Lakers as they hit the reset button on the Westbrook acquisition but it costs them even more future assets, something they are dangerously thin on.
