Washington Wizards Receive: G Russell Westbrook, 2025 First-Round Pick (LAL), 2027 First-Round Pick (LAL), 2029 First-Round Pick (LAL)
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: G Bradley Beal, G Ish Smith
Washington Wizards fans, please put down the pitchforks. We know most of you don’t want Russell Westbrook back.
In all likelihood, you’re not getting him. This deal assumes that the Wizards would acquire the mercurial point guard with the intention of buying him out. Predictably, they’re in this for the draft picks.
That makes particular sense in a deal with the Lakers. They’d be going all-in on the present with this move. It’s hard enough to imagine where they’d be in 2025. It’s downright impossible to project their trajectory into 2029.
Oftentimes, fans aren’t enthusiastic about acquiring such a distant draft pick. They should be. The Wizards would presumably be bottoming out in this scenario. That gives them an opportunity to draft their next franchise player in the 2023 draft. By the time those picks are approaching, they may be ready to swap them for impact veterans.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Lakers Writer Suggests Wild LeBron James Blockbuster Trade
On the other hand, if they’re not ready to do so, they’ll be happy to have the picks. Still, if the Wizards are seeking a more established young player, these two teams can bring a third team to the bargaining table.
