New York Knicks Receive: G Russell Westbrook, 2027 First-Round Pick
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: F Julius Randle, G Evan Fournier
As far as we can tell, the New York Knicks are looking for three things this summer: a point guard, draft capital, and cap relief. This deal lands them all three at once. Sort-of.
In all likelihood, Westbrook isn’t the answer this team is looking for at point guard. At the same time, he could be a stopgap solution.
Following this deal, the Knicks would be primed to let Westbrook loose. It could result in one more season of crazed triple-double chasing for the future Hall-of-Famer. If nothing else, it would be a spectacle.
Assuming it doesn’t result in a lot of wins, Westbrook’s deal will expire the next season. The Knicks have little to lose here while making significant gains. Their books would clear up significantly following 2022-23, and they’d have an additional future first-round pick as well.
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Meanwhile, a reunion with Randle could go one of two ways for the Lakers. If he shoots the ball as he did in 2020-21, it could be exactly what they need. If he shoots as he did in 2021-22, it could be a disaster. Either way, this team is in no position to pass up calculated risks.
