Getty Lakers guard Russell Westbrook
The Los Angeles Lakers are expected to discuss a Russell Westbrook trade involving a $68 million All-Star.
According to Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer, the Lakers and Utah Jazz will talk again about a Westbrook trade. Los Angeles would send the one-time MVP and draft picks to Utah in exchange for Mike Conley, Jordan Clarkson and/or Rudy Gay.
“Utah has been connected to the Lakers for months, too. League sources say that before the Jazz sent Bojan Bogdanovic to the Pistons, the Lakers offered Westbrook, a future first-round pick, and second-rounders for Bogdanovic and others,” O’Connor wrote. “Sources expect the Lakers and Jazz to resume talks later in the season with some combination of other players discussed. (Utah has Jordan Clarkson, Mike Conley, and Rudy Gay—three veterans who can all shoot.)”
The Jazz, despite starting this season a surprising 3-0, are in rebuild mode after trading All-Stars Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell over the summer. The front office wants to acquire future draft picks and clear cap space. Westbrook’s contract expires after this season, so the Jazz are one of the few teams open to absorbing his massive salary.
The Lakers are interested in acquiring Conley and Clarkson, league sources told Heavy.com. Conley, a one-time All-Star, will make $22.7 million this season, while Clarkson will earn $13.3 million.
Unlike Westbrook, Conley & Clarkson Can Shoot
Conley and Clarkson can both shoot the ball well from deep. Clarkson hit 190 3-pointers in 2021-22, while Conley made 169.
Westbrook drilled only 79 shots from beyond the arc last season. He wasn’t a good fit next to superstars LeBron James and Anthony Davis due to his inability to hit perimeter shots. The 2016-17 MVP shot 29.8% from 3-point land in 2021-22, and among 46 players to take at least 1,000 shots, Westbrook ranked 42nd in true shooting percentage.
Conley averaged 13.7 points, 3.0 rebounds and 5.3 assists in 2021-22 while shooting 40.8% from beyond the arc. Meanwhile, Clarkson put up 16.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game while shooting 31.8% from 3-point range. Both players would fit well next to James and Davis since they aren’t liabilities from the perimeter like Westbrook.
The Lakers have started this season 0-3, with their losses coming against the Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers and Portland Trail Blazers. Westbrook has played poorly in the first three games. The nine-time All-Star and future Hall of Famer is averaging 10.3 points while shooting only 28.9% from the field and 8.3% from beyond the arc.
Lakers Probably Won’t Trade Westbrook Until Dennis Schroder Is Back
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that a trade involving Westbrook isn’t likely to happen until after Thanksgiving. That’s around the same time Dennis Schroder could return from his thumb surgery. Schroder signed a one-year, $2.6 million contract with the Lakers. The 29-year-old is in his second stint with the team. Schroder appeared in 61 games for Los Angeles during the 2020-21 season, averaging 15.4 points, 3.5 rebounds and 5.8 assists.
The Lakers went 30-10 in 2020-21 when James and Schroder played. James averaged 25.2 points, 7.7 rebounds and 7.8 assists in 40 games with Schroder. Meanwhile, Schroder averaged 14.2 points, 3.6 rebounds and 4.6 assists alongside James.
According to O’Connor, opponents are contesting jump shots by Westbrook only 41.2% of the time this season. Per Second Spectrum, that’s the lowest contest rate in NBA tracking data history, which dates back to 2013-14.
“To put Westbrook’s 41.2 percent contest rate in perspective, only two other players on record have had less than 50 percent of their jumpers contested: Joakim Noah, at 48.7 percent in 2013-14 with the Bulls, and Andre Roberson, at 48.8 percent during the 2016-17 season with the Thunder,” O’Connor wrote. “This season, Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon’s 60 percent contest rate is the league’s second-lowest behind Westbrook’s.”
The Lakers need more shooters around James and Davis and Conley and Clarkson fit that bill. Both players could make Los Angeles’ offense more explosive.