Getty Russell Westbrook of the Los Angeles Lakers.
As the February 9 trade deadline inches closer and closer, the Los Angeles Lakers are going to be one of the most interesting teams to monitor. According to Sam Amico of Hoops Wire, the Lakers “have been in contact” with the Charlotte Hornets about potential trades involving Russell Westbrook and Patrick Beverley.
“The Lakers continue to search for trades centered on guards Russell Westbrook and Patrick Beverley,” Amico wrote. “They have been in contact with the Hornets lately, sources said.”
After missing the playoffs (and Play-In Tournament) last season, most people assumed the Lakers would trade Westbrook this past offseason. Obviously, they did not, but he’s been playing well in a role off the bench this season.
Westbrook has appeared in 49 of the Lakers’ 52 games this season and is playing 28.7 minutes per contest. He’s averaging 15.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 7.5 assists per game on 41.9% shooting from the floor and 28.8% shooting from behind the three-point line.
As for Beverley, the Lakers traded for him this past summer, but he has yet to provide them with much consistency. In turn, he is set to be thrown around in trade rumors ahead of the deadline.
The veteran guard has appeared in 42 of the team’s 52 games this season and is playing 27.0 minutes per contest. Beverley is averaging 6.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game on 39.0% shooting from the floor and 34.2% shooting from beyond the three-point arc.
Charlotte is currently 15-37 on the season, which puts them in 14th place in the Eastern Conference. They are likely going to be sellers at the trade deadline, making them a potential landing spot for Westbrook’s and Beverley’s expiring contracts.
Jeanie Buss Discusses LeBron James’ Frustration
The Lakers haven’t been performing as well as some people may have hoped, and LeBron James is included in that group. During a recent appearance on the Know Mercy podcast with Stephen A. Smith, Lakers owner Jeanie Buss discussed James’ frustrations with the team.
“I mean, unless he’s winning, he’s not going to be happy,” Buss explained. “That’s him. That’s what drives him. And I could see why he would be frustrated. We’re all frustrated with, you know, we’re down four starters, and he’s our only remaining starter, and he’s gotta show up and play. And, the burden’s on him.”
Lakers Linked to Potential Zach LaVine Trade
As the deadline approaches, one name that the Lakers have been connected to is Chicago Bulls star Zach LaVine. During a January 27 edition of The Lowe Post podcast, Zach Lowe of ESPN reported on the possibility.
“The name that has become more interesting to me as the season has gone on and it’s become clearer and clearer that the Bulls are not gonna get it together is LaVine,” Lowe said. “Who is a Klutch client, who is on a gigantic contract, who I know there has been some thought about with people around the Lakers as a potential trade/that’s kind of our cap space acquisition. Obviously, they sacrificed a lot of cap space potentially on Hachimura, which I read that also as a signal that maybe the Kyrie thing is over for them too.”