Despite not having a pick until the 22nd round, the Los Angeles Lakers dominated headlines leading up to the NBA Draft on Thursday, but that was because they were the most aggressive team on the trade market. They’d been linked to Kings guard Buddy Hield for a while, but just as a Hield deal appeared to be on the way, the Wizards swooped in and started negotiating with the Lakers for Russell Westbrook.
Talks continued into the NBA Draft, as the two sides had a framework of players but needed to figure out draft picks, but after the first two picks of the night were announced in Brooklyn, word came from Shams Charania of The Athletic that a deal had been struck, and Westbrook would be heading to L.A. with two future second rounders, while Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and Montrezl Harrell would be heading to New York.
Shortly after the Shams story, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski confirmed the trade on ESPN’s Draft night show, indicating that there will be no additions to the agreement, as some Lakers fans had hoped.
The Lakers receive their wanted third starter to go with LeBron James and Anthony Davis in the first blockbuster trade of what might be an offseason full of them. After moving three of the few players left on the roster to get Westbrook, they’ll have a lot of work to do to round out the squad, and the focus from here on has to be on finding shooters, since spacing will be a major talking point about the new Lakers Big 3.
Washington gains cap flexibility in the future with three lesser contracts that are much more mobile, or they can keep all three to add depth behind Bradley Beal, who has been reported as not being in the discussion to be traded right now. The Wizards might take advantage of some sign-and-trade opportunities with free agents this summer, or they could keep their newfound flexibility for the future.
