Los Angeles Lakers Receive: G Mike Conley, F Bojan Bogdanovic
Utah Jazz Receive: G Russell Westbrook, 2027 First-Round Pick (LAL), 2029 First-Round Pick (LAL)
If NBA titles were won on accolades alone, the Los Angeles Lakers would have steamrolled the competition in 2021-22.
No other team had two former MVP winners. The Lakers did, with a recent(ish) candidate in Anthony Davis to spare. Unfortunately, that’s not how championships are won.
Talent may reign supreme in the National Basketball Association, but fit counts too. Unfortunately, the fit between Russell Westbrook and LeBron James was unequivocally awful.
The fit between James and Mike Conley would be a massive upgrade. That’s largely due to Conley’s ability to space the floor while James has the ball. He’s not the same kind of other-worldly athlete as Westbrook, but he’ll make the Lakers better in 2022-23.
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Adding Bogdanovic’s elite floor-spacing won’t hurt either. Having said that, the Lakers could get more from the Jazz if they wanted. They’d simply have to give more in return.
