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In the past week, we’ve begun to see a slight resurgence from Russell Westbrook, courtesy of the Los Angeles Lakers moving him into a bench role.
As such, the chatter of a potential Westbrook trade might need to be put on hold until we get a larger sample size of what the superstar can do if he becomes fully invested in his new role. Furthermore, according to Shannon Sharpe, the Lakers should steer clear of acquiring Myle Turner if they do decide to press ahead with potentially trading the 33-year-old guard.
“He’s missed 65 games between 2020 and 2022. He’s only played three games this season. So, the last thing they need is another injured big man. We deal with AD every time he jumps up and grabs his back. AD is 28 but he moves like he’s 58. So, for me, I don’t see it happening…You had the entire off-season to get this done, and now, you’ve put Russ in a new role, and he’s kind of thriving in that role…This is the happiest I’ve seen Russ play in a long time, so I think they’re probably gonna ride this out,” Sharpe said in a November 1 episode of Fox Sports’ Undisputed.
In his last two games, Westbrook has started looking like the All-Star we all expected him to be, coming off the bench to provide the Lakers with an average of 18 points, eight rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game while shooting 41.4% from the field and 37.5% from deep. If this is the version of Westbrook the Lakers are going to get, then trading away the California native doesn’t seem to be a logical move.
Some NBA Executives Expect Lakers to ‘Cave’ For Turner
While Sharpe raises some legitimate points regarding Turner’s injury history and the resurgence of Westbrook as the team’s sixth man, it would appear there are others in the industry that still expect to see Turner suiting up in purple and gold in the not-too-distant future.
According to Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus, who spoke with multiple NBA executives regarding the potential of Turner joining the lakers, there are some expectations that Rob Pelinka and the front office will eventually ‘cave’ to the Pacers’ asking price.
“Several executives and agents around the league believe the Lakers will eventually cave, probably for the Pacers deal,” Pincus wrote on November 1.
The Lakers have fought hard to retain control of their 2027 and 2029 first-round draft picks, so, unless they deem any potential trade to be a homerun, you can expect Rob Pelinka to continue resisting the urge to mortgage the team’s future for a potential upgrade in the short-term.
Turner Previously Pitched Himself to The Lakers
Appearing on an October 31 episode of Adrian Wojnarowski’s podcast, ‘The Woj Pod’ Turner decided to make his thoughts known on a potential move to the Lakers – telling the world that he believes he could be a difference maker for the beleaguered Western Conference giant.
“If I’m the Lakers, I take a very hard look at this with the position that you’re in…I know what I can provide for a team,” Turner said.
In the three games Turner has played for the Pacers to begin the season, the six-foot-eleven big man has been rather impressive, averaging 13 points, seven rebounds, two assists, and 3.7 blocks per game, although his efficiency has left a lot to be desired, converting just 38.9% of his two-point efforts and 27.3% of his perimeter shots.
At this point in the season, it does seem that Turner’s opportunity to join the Lakers has now passed, and if Westbrook can continue to impact the game off the bench, it’s unlikely we see him traded before his contract expires at the end of the season.
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