Los Angeles Lakers Receive: G Buddy Hield or C Myles Turner and filler
Indiana Pacers Receive: G Russell Westbrook, 2026 First-Round Pick, 2027 First-Round Pick Swap
This trade is incomplete because it would be up to the Indiana Pacers who they want to part with.
This hypothetical deal would be a straight salary dump for the Los Angeles Lakers, as they are once again parting ways with Russell Westbrook.
However, since the Pacers have $28 million available in cap space, they don’t have to send out a matching salary. $18.9 million in outgoing salary is all it would take to make this deal legal under the CBA. Buddy Hield or Myles Turner’s contract would be enough to get a deal completed.
If Indiana wanted they could combine the contracts of some of their other players, such as T.J. McConnell, Daniel Theis, Aaron Nesmith, Isaiah Jackson, or Oshae Brissett.
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Either combination would reach the necessary amount of money.
The Pacers would still be getting what they ultimately want, which is the draft capital. The 2026 first-round pick would be theirs for using the cap space to absorb Westbrook. To seal the deal, the Lakers would agree to a pick swap in 2027 on top of it.
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This is unlikely an ideal trade package from the Lakers’ perspective. However, they have to move Westbrook for the betterment of the franchise. If they can only get back one or two players, that is better than nothing.