Phoenix Suns Receive: G Russell Westbrook, G Austin Reaves
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: G Chris Paul, F Dario Saric
This deal is a gamble – but it’s one that both teams need to make. Saric had season-ending knee surgery recently and has no timetable for return. He probably won’t make it back in time to meaningfully contribute next season, so this deal is essentially Westbrook and Reaves for Paul and salary matching.
Russell Westbrook put up fantastic counting stats last season but did so with poor efficiency. Blame for his efficiency could be placed on the player himself, or it could be placed on the Lakers’ roster. The Lakers’ had an extremely weak roster, lacking the floor spacing to allow Westbrook to thrive.
One of the Lakers’ bright spots was Austin Reaves, who should be included in this deal to entice Phoenix. Reaves is another shooter who showed promise on the defensive end – he’d fit right in Phoenix’s rotation.
Chris Paul was the better player last season, but he’s older than Westbrook. It’s possible he isn’t able to get back to the level he hit in Phoenix, particularly in a long regular season.
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Phoenix would be wise to get something for Paul before it’s too late, but the gamble is that it’s unclear if it’s too late yet.
Let’s look more in-depth at how this deal works for each team.
