File management Russell Westbrook risks occupying the Los Angeles Lakers for a good part of the offseason. The advantage of already being on vacation while the others are playing in the playoffs is that the front office can already get to work to find a way out for the leader. Or look for the coach who will feel able to revive him after an apocalyptic first season in Los Angeles…
For the moment, it is obviously the track of the trade which is privileged, Westbrook having to touch 47 million dollars next season, if he activates his player option. Unless life in LA has become unbearable for him, it is hard to imagine the 2017 MVP disengaging from this totally crazy sum.
Among the first insistent rumors, we heard that evoking a trade with Charlotte, involving Gordon Hayward as the central part of the package. In the idea, why not. Hayward is a priori more suited to what the Lakers would have needed this season in terms of versatility on the wing. Except that the repeated injuries of the former Jazz and Celtics player have made his impact limited and the Hornets would already wish to part with him against a reasonable offer.
Lakers approached another star ahead of Westbrook trade
Hayward will make $30 million in 2022-23, which is a lot for a player coming out of three seasons at 52, 44 and 49 games. In any case, there will probably not be too much to wonder if Gordon Hayward will have more impact than Russell Westbrook at the Lakers. According to Marc Stein, the Californian management will not accept such a deal. She would be, for the moment in any case, particularly demanding in the first discussions around Westbrook.
A logical posture given the time available to the Lakers before the start of the season. But will it be sustainable for long? The teams possibly interested are not numerous and several of them are betting on a buy-out or on a trade just before the February deadline in order to lower the requested consideration.
