Getty Russell Westbrook and LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Los Angeles Lakers roster hasn’t seen substantial upgrades this offseason. The biggest move they made was trading for Patrick Beverley but that’s not going to move the needle much. With the Lakers continually acting like they’re going to keep Russell Westbrook, they may need to rely on remaining free agents to upgrade the roster.
There aren’t many great options still available this late in the game but the team could consider a former superstar like Blake Griffin. The team has been linked to the six-time All-Star in the past but has never been able to work something out. Interestingly enough, Westbrook has been seen working out with Griffin recently.
Russ and Blake working out together.
Now, players around the NBA constantly work out with each other during the offseason so Westbrook working out with Griffin might not mean anything. It’s still interesting. Westbrook doesn’t have much pull with the Lakers right now but he could still convince them that Griffin would be a fit.
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Should Lakers Sign Griffin?
Griffin had a stretch where he was one of the faces of the NBA. His exciting and explosive playing style made him a big fan favorite. Unfortunately, injuries have derailed his career. He hasn’t played over 70 games in a season since the 2013-2014 season. He’s only 33 but his best days are behind him.
Griffin is coming off the worst season of his career and only averaged 6.4 points a game. He’s not going to regain superstar form but could be a solid player off the bench on a minimum deal. He could serve as a backup to Anthony Davis or just bring veteran leadership to the team. Adding Griffin doesn’t turn the Lakers into contenders but it might be worth taking a shot on him. He was solid two seasons ago with the Brooklyn Nets and hit 38.3% of his threes.
Lakers Would Still Be Wise to Trade Westbrook
Everything the Lakers say makes it seems like Westbrook is coming back. LeBron James, Jeanie Buss and Darvin Ham have all had nice things to say about the guard recently. They do sound willing to try and make him work on the team. However, it still appears they are trying to trade him behind closed doors. With Kyrie Irving no longer an option, the Lakers have been looking at the Utah Jazz and Indiana Pacers to make a deal.
Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report sees a different possibility. He believes that Los Angeles could be the missing piece to a three-team trade involving the New York Knicks and Jazz:
Los Angeles may be open to parting with one of its 2027 or 2029 first-round picks to get out of Westbrook. To send both, the Lakers must believe they are gaining a reasonable chance to compete at the highest level in the Western Conference. On paper, the Lakers are a poor shooting team that would improve dramatically by adding two marksmen like Bojan Bogdanovic and Fournier.
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Lakers Star’s Workout With 6-Time All-Star Stirs Speculation