Why The Los Angeles Lakers Do The Deal 

Here’s the question for the Lakers: are they better off trading Westbrook and two first-round picks for Myles Turner and Buddy Hield, or a lottery-protected first and some rotation players for Bamba? 

One could make the case that the latter option is preferable. Bamba, like Turner, protects the rim and spaces the floor. As it stands, he doesn’t do either of those things as well as Turner, but at 24, he’s still got upside. 

Of course, the other significant factor here is that the Lakers will be holding onto Russell Westbrook. Depending on where you stand, that can be seen as a positive or a negative. With that said, maybe we shouldn’t rule the former MVP out. 

Westbrook may have been the Lakers’ scapegoat last season, but Anthony Davis was regularly injured and shot even more poorly.

LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Mo Bamba, Orlando Magic & Los Angeles Lakers Updates

Landing a stretch big like Bamba could give Westbrook a shot at redemption. If he’s maximized, who knows? 

Keeping him might have been the solution for the Lakers all along.