Charlotte Hornets Receive: G Russell Westbrook, 2027 First-Round Pick (LAL)
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: F Gordon Hayward, G Terry Rozier
It would be a simple NBA trade scenario involving these two teams. The Charlotte Hornets would part with Gordon Hayward and Terry Rozier while the Los Angeles Lakers would send out Russell Westbrook along with a 2027 first-round pick.
While for different reasons, Hayward and Westbrook each are negative assets at this point of their NBA careers due to their production simply not lining up with their salaries.
Westbrook is set to earn just under $47.1 million during the 2021-22 season in what will be the final year of his current contract. Meanwhile, Hayward will earn $30.1 million next season but is signed through the 2023-24 campaign.
The Lakers would need to attach an asset to Westbrook’s contract in almost any circumstance unless they were to take on multiple bad salaries. With Rozier being included, he’d command the future first-round pick being included.
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The Hornets surely wouldn’t be enthused by taking on Westbrook the player, but clearing massive amounts of salary for 2023-24 while adding a valuable future asset wouldn’t be a bad outcome.
Let’s look closer at the case for this NBA trade scenario for both the Charlotte Hornets and Los Angeles Lakers.
