Getty Lakers guard Russell Westbrook
Russell Westbrook struggled for the Los Angeles Lakers this season. Although the one-time MVP put up solid per-game numbers of 18.5 points, 7.4 rebounds and 7.1 assists, Westbrook was second in the NBA in turnovers while recording a plus-minus of –211 and shot a woeful 29.8% from beyond the arc and 66.7% from the free-throw line.
According to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report, the Lakers and Westbrook have mutual interest in parting ways this offseason. Per ESPN’s trade machine, a three-team trade involving the Lakers, New York Knicks and Dallas Mavericks where Westbrook and Trey Burke get traded to New York, Derrick Rose, Alec Burks and Spencer Dinwiddie get shipped to Los Angeles and Julius Randle lands in Dallas would work under CBA rules.
The Lakers would be getting a former MVP in Rose and two impact guards in Burks and Dinwiddie while also ending the Westbrook experiment. Westbrook will earn $47,063,478 next campaign if he picks up his 2022-23 player option.
Rose, Burks & Dinwiddie Would Give Lakers Playmaking & Shooting
Rose, Burks and Dinwiddie would give the Lakers playmaking and shooting from the guard position.
Rose, the 2010-11 MVP, has career averages of 18.2 points and 5.4 assists. He shot a career-high 40.2% from beyond the arc this season with the Knicks. Meanwhile, Burks shot 40.4% from 3-point range for New York and his 6-foot-6 frame allows him to defend point guards, shooting guards and small forwards.
Dinwiddie split time with the Washington Wizards and Mavericks this season. He shot 40.4% from deep in 23 games with Dallas while averaging 15.8 points and 3.9 assists. Dinwiddie was born and raised in Los Angeles, so he would likely have family and friends at Laker home games.
According to an NBA executive who spoke to Ric Bucher of Fox Sports in November 2021, Rose has aged better than Westbrook and learned how to dominate games without using his athleticism. Rose has suffered four knee injuries since winning MVP in 2011, but he’s still managed to average 16.2 points and 4.4 assists following his devastating ACL tear in the 2012 playoffs as a member of the Chicago Bulls.
“Derrick is aging better,” the executive told Bucher. “He learned to shoot better, and his basketball IQ is higher. But Derrick was always a point guard. Russell was an athlete who played the position.”
The Lakers need shooters and playmakers who don’t turn the ball over frequently around stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis and Rose, Burks and Dinwiddie fit that bill. All three players can also get to the rim and finish in traffic and collapse defenses to free up shooters for open shots.
James, Davis Have a Rapport with Rose; Burks & Dinwiddie Are Pros
Both James and Davis have a relationship with Rose. James and Rose were teammates on the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2017-18 and Davis and Rose played on the 2014 FIBA World Cup team, winning the gold medal together.
Rose, who has a house in Los Angeles, was seen talking to James at Crypto.com Arena on February 5 before the Lakers hosted the Knicks. Westbrook’s trade value around the NBA is pretty low, so the purple and gold likely won’t get a superstar in return for him.
Rose, Burks and Dinwiddie are quality guards who can shoot from the perimeter and run offenses without turning the ball over at the drop of a hat. Rose isn’t the triple-double threat Westbrook is. However, he’s a much better shooter and decision-maker, two traits the Lakers need from their starting point guard next season.
Since the 2018-19 season, Rose is shooting 36.2% from beyond the arc and averaging just 1.8 turnovers. During that same span, Westbrook is shooting 28.8% from deep and averaging 4.4 turnovers.