It is commonplace for members of the front office and coaching staff to speak to the media ahead of training camp getting underway. It is the first time for them to be asked questions about some of the moves that were made in the offseason and the outlook for the upcoming NBA season.
For the Los Angeles Lakers, this was supposed to occur on Wednesday afternoon. General manager Rob Pelinka and new head coach Darvin Ham were set for a press conference in the early evening.
However, that press conference has been canceled. Instead of talking today, they will now talk to the media on Monday during Media Day like everyone else. The update came courtesy of Daniel Starkland of Lakers Nation.
The cancellation has led to some people speculating that a trade could be on the horizon for the Lakers. They have been looking to bolster their lineup ahead of the 2022-23 season and have been mentioned in numerous trade rumors.
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The player mentioned most often has been point guard Russell Westbrook. Los Angeles acquired him from the Washington Wizards last offseason but it was a move that didn’t pan out as they had hoped. Many factors played a part but Westbrook struggled to find a niche alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis, leading to underwhelming production.
With Dennis Schroder signing over the weekend, the Lakers now have plenty of depth at the point guard position should they be able to find a suitor for Westbrook. Patrick Beverley was acquired in a trade earlier this offseason from the Utah Jazz and is capable of running the point guard spot even if there are plans to deploy him as a wing. Kendrick Nunn is also on the roster still.
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Another trade with the Jazz has been mentioned as a possibility. The San Antonio Spurs and Indiana Pacers have also been linked to the Lakers as teams willing to take on Westbrook’s contract as long as they are compensated with draft picks.