The NBA offseason hasn’t even gotten underway, yet there have already been plenty of rumors centered around the Los Angeles Lakers. Los Angeles will be as active as possible this offseason upgrading a roster that fell short of expectations during the 2021-22 season.
The player in the middle of those trade rumors most often is Russell Westbrook. He never found his niche with the team, having one of the least productive seasons of his career. At this point, parting ways is likely best for both parties.
Where could Westbrook end up? There have been a few rumored landing spots, with the Houston Rockets being a popular one going back to the trade deadline. The Indiana Pacers would also make a lot of sense. One surprising team that has gotten into the fray is the Charlotte Hornets.
Charlotte is staring down a very expensive roster in the coming years and could see Westbrook as someone that can supply salary relief in the near future. It could be an avenue for the Hornets to move on from a long-term deal they no longer have interest in keeping, such as Gordon Hayward.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: 2 Trade Packages To Send Terry Rozier To Los Angeles Lakers
Hayward signed a four-year, $120 million deal with Charlotte during the 2020 offseason. He has battled injuries throughout the first two seasons, appearing in only 93 games. Injuries are something that the Los Angeles Lakers dealt with plenty of this season and are something they don’t want to have to deal with again.
That is partly why they are unlikely to make a deal involving Westbrook that is centered around Hayward. Marc Stein, on his Substack, shared the update about potential dealings between the Lakers and Charlotte Hornets.
“The Lakers are unlikely to consent to a Charlotte trade headlined by Gordon Hayward — not after Hayward’s first two seasons in Charlotte have likewise been injury-filled. The Lakers surely understand that they need to factor in durability if they are taking on long-term money, which suggests that Terry Rozier would have to be the Southern California-bound headliner if the Hornets and Lakers eventually progress to serious trade talks.”
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: 2 Trade Packages To Send Terry Rozier To Los Angeles Lakers
Rozier’s health would be the biggest positive, as he hasn’t missed more than nine games in a single season because of injury. During his rookie season, he appeared in only 30 games but that was mostly because he was out of the rotation.
The Louisville product would be an excellent addition to the Lakers, but it would certainly cost them a lot more in terms of assets. He has come into his own during his tenure in Charlotte, turning into a solid two-way player. His 3-point shooting and defense are two key skills that the Lakers could use more of.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: 2 Trade Packages To Send Terry Rozier To Los Angeles Lakers
Rozier is also a capable playmaker, which would take a lot of pressure off of LeBron James to carry the entire load offensively. Inserting him into the starting point guard spot instead of Westbrook should improve things as he is a better fit skill-set-wise.
Given the fact that Gordon Hayward is owed more than $8.5 million more than Terry Rozier, the Los Angeles Lakers could get more rotation pieces back along with a deal from the Charlotte Hornets built around Rozier instead of Hayward as well.