Los Angeles Lakers Receive: G Kyle Lowry, G/F Duncan Robinson, G/F Caleb Martin 

Miami Heat Receive: G Russell Westbrook, 2027 First-Round Pick (LAL) 

To understand this deal from the Lakers’ perspective, you need to continue framing it in financial terms. 

Imagine you’ve got an idea for a business. You’re confident it’ll be successful. The only problem is, you don’t have the startup capital. 

What are you going to do? Well, if you want to start the business badly enough, you’ll take out a loan. Suddenly, you’ve got enough money to get started – and a mountain of debt to go with it. 

Whether this was a wise decision will depend on the success of the business.

LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Russell Westbrook, Los Angeles Lakers & Miami Heat Updates

If your instincts were correct, it’ll make enough money to pay that debt off in time.

With that in mind, the question is this: Does this deal do enough for the Lakers to justify their investment?