Four days from the trade deadline, the Los Angeles Lakers are facing a tough challenge that may require them to make major changes in their franchise strategy to salvage their championship hopes and optimize LeBron’s legacy.
With head coach Frank Vogel benching superstar guard Russell Westbrook as the Lakers headed into overtime last night against the New York, Los Angeles may have reached the end of the rope with Russ as their third star. Watching the Lakers play in overtime without the chaos and uncertainty that comes with Russ on the court, it was obvious we were watching why moving on from Russell could qualify as the equivalent of addition by subtraction.
The Lakers 2021–22 season and the legacy of LeBron James are on the line. Nor can the Lakers wait for summer to fix things. Here are three big strategic changes to salvage the Lakers’ season and LeBron James’ legacy:
1. Pull the Plug on the Russell Westbrook Experiment
The first big strategic change the Lakers must make is pulling the plug on the Russell Westbrook experiment. Blame it on a lack of time together due to injuries but it’s clear the Lakers need to trade Russell Westbrook right now.
Fortunately for Los Angeles, there’s a willing trade partner and a deal whose parameters make common sense for the Lakers to pursue. Houston has told the Lakers they would swap John Wall for Westbrook and a first round pick. Wall may not have the motor and athleticism of Westbrook but he is also not the uncontrollable or unpredictable wild card Russ has become. The Lakers need a toned down version of Russ, which is exactly what John could be.
Since John Wall plays the point, he could slide right into Russell Westbrook’s starting role but with fewer turnovers and blown layups and defensive rotations. Here’s the Westbrook for Wall trade with the Houston Rockets:
The price for swapping Russell Westbrook for John Wall is the Lakers’ 2027 first round pick. While some might argue the Lakers would be wiser to wait for summer to move Russ, addition by subtraction says to move him now.
Hopefully, since Wall is a Klutch Sports client, the Lakers can make a deal with him where he turns down his $47 million player option next season for more money over more years and a chance to finish career as a Laker. This is where Klutch becomes important because the Lakers need Wall to decline his player option and instead take more money (maybe $75 million over 3 years) so they can get under the hard cap to re-sign Malik Monk.
The perfect situation is where Wall declines his option and the Lakers give him a new 3-year deal. Otherwise, Lakers will trade his expiring contract this summer as part of restructuring their cap space to retain Malik Monk.
2. Accept Luxury Taxes as the New Price for Winning
With a reasonably healthy and rested LeBron James and Anthony Davis playing as well as they did to win the championship in the bubble, the Los Angeles Lakers are still the team nobody wants to meet in the playoffs.
But the recent moves by the Los Angeles Clippers should be the final straw to alert Jeanie Buss and her family that the rules for what you have to do to win NBA championships has changed with mega luxury taxes the new entry fee. The Clippers, Warriors, and Nets have all accepted over $100 million in luxury taxes as the cost of competing for a championship in today’s NBA. If the Lakers want to win #18, they have to be willing to pay more luxury taxes.
That will not change going forward and if the price to win now includes paying mega luxury taxes, then the Buss family has a major decision to make as the Lakers’ owner. To win, the Lakers must pay more luxury taxes. The Lakers already lost a valuable player and trading chip in Alex Caruso so the Lakers could avoid incurring more luxury taxes. Time for the Buss family accept the new rules and be willing to pay mega luxury tax bills to win it all.
The Lakers’ $5 billion net worth per Forbes was built by the franchise’s total focus on winning championships. Yes, they are in Los Angeles but the value of their brand is a direct result of their winning championships.
3. Trade for Christian Wood to Become Third Star
There’s no question the Lakers’ best lineups are their small ball lineups. There’s also no question the Lakers’ biggest weakness is another front court player who can get them points, rebounds, and defense in the paint.
As part of their negotiation with the Houston Rockets to trade Russell Westbrook for John Wall, the Los Angeles Lakers need to expand that deal to include 26-year old 6′ 9,” 214 lb power forward/center Christian Wood. Christian would allow the Lakers to replace Howard and Jordan with a younger, more dynamic front court player who can block shots, stretch the floor, and play both the power forward and center positions.
Wood is a talented young player who’s had some issues as a teammate that have probably lowered his trade value but he’s produced great numbers with the Pistons last season and the Rockets this season and still has upside. He averaged 17.6 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in 31.0 minutes per game while shooting 48.5% from the field and 37.1% on 4.9 attempted threes per game. His one weakness is he’s only a 61.5% free throw shooter.
Trading for Wood would ultimately require the Lakers to join the Clippers, Warriors, and Nets as mega luxury tax payers as well as costing Horton-Tucker, Nunn, and a pair of second round draft picks to sweeten the deal:
Wood has a year and a half left on his contract and will then be eligible for a huge extension. Keeping Wood long-term would clearly require the Lakers to agree to pay more luxury taxes. That’s just how the game today is played. Wood would also give the Lakers the size, shooting, and defense they need to make their starting lineup elite. A starting lineup of John Wall, Malik Monk, LeBron James, Christian Wood, and Anthony Davis would rule.
What Wood gives the Lakers is a player the same age as AD and Monk and could be the basis of a future Lakers big three once LeBron James retires. Wood is an aggressive offensive players with improving defensive instincts.