Myles Turner

How a Pacers Trade Solves the Lakers’ Needs for Size, Shooting, and Defense

June 14, 2022 By LakerTom 4 Comments

In what could be the opportunity the Los Angeles Lakers have been hoping for, Myles Turner appears likely to play out the last year of his contract rather than sign an extension which should move the Pacers to trade him.

The Lakers have long had a strong interest in Myles Turner and news that he will not sign an extension to stay with the Indiana Pacers should immediately rekindle the team’s interest in the 26-year old stretch center. Turner is exactly the player the Lakers need so that new head coach Darvin Ham can replicate the four-out, one-in offense his prior team, the Bucks, utilized with superstars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kris Middleton.

**Second First Round Pick Is From 2029, not 2028**

With Turner leaving, the odds Indiana decides to trade him to avoid losing him for nothing but the Lakers will need to be extremely aggressive if they hope to win any bidding war with the Hornets and teams coveting him. While it may not be enough, the Lakers should go all-in on a mega deal with the Pacers to trade Westbrook, Horton-Tucker, Nunn, and their 2027 and 2029 unprotected first round draft picks for Turner, Brogdon, and Hield.

While teams rarely remove protection from first round picks, this is one of those opportunities where the Lakers need to turn their 2027 and 2029 first round picks into something extremely special, valuable, and tradeable.

Why the Lakers Make the Trade?

The Lakers are facing a ticking clock as LeBron James’ and Anthony Davis’ championship window appears to be closing as James approaches 38-years old and Davis struggles to remain healthy and effective outside the bubble.

This trade is as perfect as a trade could be for the Lakers as it allows them to swap Russell Westbrook and filler for three legitimate starters with needed size, shooting, and defense to complement James and Davis. With Darvin Ham taking over as the head coach, the Lakers are expected to install the four-out, one-in offense used by his former team, the Milwaukee Bucks, to create spacing for Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kris Middleton.

The key to the Bucks four-out offense working is having a stretch five center like Brook Lopez to be one of the four players stationed beyond the 3-point line. Other than in the bubble, Anthony Davis is not a proven stretch five. With Davis injured much of last season, the Lakers found themselves being destroyed by huge negative differentials in rebounding and points in the paint due to lineups that were undersized at almost every single position.

The problem is the Lakers lose their positional size advantage when they play LeBron and AD at the four and five. They need a center like Turner to allow James and Davis to dominate smaller players at the three and four. Starting a lineup of 6′ 5″ Malcolm Brogdon, 6′ 4″ Buddy Hield, 6′ 9″ LeBron James, 6′ 10″ Anthony Davis, and 6′ 11″ Myles Turner would give the Lakers the positional size advantage at all five of the positions on the floor.

Removing protection from two first round picks five and seven years from now when LeBron will be gone and Anthony Davis nearing the end of his career is a huge gamble by the Lakers but their only chance to land Turner.

Why the Pacers Make the Trade?

The Pacers need to decide what they’re doing. Are they going to try to completely rebuild from scratch or try to rebuild around Tyrese Haliburton and Isaiah Jackson and remain a playoff team in the Eastern Conference?

With Turner declining to sign an extension, it seems certain the Pacers are going to be looking to trade Turner as well as Brogdon and Hield, who are already on Indiana’s trading block. Pacers will surely not be short of suitors. The Charlotte Hornets, Brooklyn Nets, and other NBA teams will have significant interest in Turner, who finished among the top two shot blockers in the entire league the past three years and is still only 26-years old.

With the Pacers undergoing a partial rebuild around Haliburton and Jackson, getting two unprotected Lakers first round picks could be attractive to an established and secure general manager like Kevin Pritchard. While the picks are five and seven years away, they’re unprotected for a team that could struggle badly once LeBron retires and Davis ages could make them extremely valuable and tradeable.

Indiana has long been the preferred trading partner for the Lakers, partly because of the players they have who are available in trade and partly because they are a franchise with a very stable front office situation. Unlike many genera managers, Pritchard will likely still be running the Indiana Pacers front office when the Lakers 2027 and 2029 first round picks will be used, although they will likely be traded multiple times.

Indiana not only gets two Lakers’ post LeBron unprotected first round picks that could be extremely valuable but also gets a future young star in Horton-Tucker and saves $65 million on Brogdon’s and Hield’s contracts.

Power of Positional Size Is Why Lakers Must Become Bigger at Every Position

May 22, 2022 By LakerTom 21 Comments

Dominant size at every position was how the Lakers won the 2020 NBA championship in the bubble, playing a jumbo starting lineup that averaged 6′ 8″ or 2 inches taller at all five positions than the average NBA team.

Watching this season’s undersized version of those Lakers consistently lose the rebounding and points-in-the-paint battles will hopefully force the front office to reprioritize their roster building strategy to focus on getting bigger. What had been a fearsome small-ball-on-steroids attack that dominated at both ends of the court in the bubble has somehow evolved into undersized micro-ball lineups with Anthony Davis or LeBron James as the only big.

Positional size is not about prioritizing size over needed basketball skillsets. It’s about building a roster with players who are just as good at shooting, passing, rebounding, and defending as any at their position but are bigger. Having a size advantage at every position is game changing at both ends of the court, as Lakers’ opponents discovered in the bubble. The Lakers dominated the boards and paint playing two bigs and small-ball-on-steroids.

While size matters in the NBA, just being big is not enough and players need quickness, foot speed, and physicality to play and defend their position and not be constantly hunted by teams and played off the floor defensively. Heading into this summer, the Lakers’ top priority after hiring a head coach and trading Russell Westbrook should be to return to their winning strategy of positional size advantage when rebuilding around LeBron and AD.

Positional size is about creating a team-wide size advantage that translates into opposing teams getting worn out fighting against bigger players and frustrated as they give up more points, rebounds, blocked shots, and steals. It’s also about not just about size alone; it’s about how a player uses size. LeBron James and Anthony Davis, for example, both play bigger than their physical measurements as do players like P.J. Tucker and Bruce Brown.

Let’s take a look at why positional size is so important to the Lakers, how more positional size will impact the team offensively and defensively, and why greater positional size is the key to the purple and gold winning #18.

Why Is Positional Size Such a Key Factor in Lakers’ Rebuild?

Restoring the positional size advantage that helped them win the 2020 NBA championship should be the Los Angeles Lakers top priority this summer. Positional size is the strategic wild card the Lakers need to fully embrace.

The last two year’s injury plagued seasons should have convinced the Lakers’ front office that playing injury-prone Anthony Davis or 37-year old LeBron James extensively at center was not a smart strategic move to make. James at the four and Anthony at the five leave the Lakers undersized at both positions since at 6′ 9″ James is 1 inch shorter and at 6′ 10″ Davis 2 inches shorter than today’s average NBA power forward and center.

But were the Lakers to acquire a new enter like 6′ 11″ Myles Turner or 7′ 0″ Isaiah Hartenstein and move 6′ 10″ Anthony Davis to the four and 6′ 9″ LeBron James to the three, they’d have a size edge at all three positions. That’s why the smart way for the Lakers to get bigger is by adding a 6′ 11″ to 7′ 1″ center and moving 6′ 9″ James and 6′ 10″ Davis down a position rather than playing the four and five and adding size with a bigger small forward.

Making positional size part of the roster building strategy reflects that players at all positions have been and will continue to get bigger and their wingspans longer so it makes sense to prioritize size when the rest is equal. The other thing to remember is it’s how the player plays that matters more than his height measurement. Individual motor, vertical leap, and physicality can empower players to play greater than their physical size.

While LeBron James and Anthony Davis have the skill and talent to play bigger than they are, their best positions are most likely small and power forward where they have a definite size advantage over their competition.

How Will Positional Size Will Impact Lakers Offensively?

Offensively, having positional size advantage should enable the Lakers to dominate the paint, score at the rim, and control the boards, playing both a versatile bully-ball two-bigs and small-ball-on-steroids style of basketball.

Restoring the Lakers’ positional size advantage on offense starts with a young modern two-way center to start games to enable Anthony Davis to start at the four in regular season games like during the championship year. Starting a 6′ 11″ to 7′ 1″ young stud at center and sliding Anthony Davis and LeBron James down a position to power forward and small forward would give the Lakers a significant 2″ advantage at all three front court positions.

The only tweak the Lakers should make is adding a modern center who can not only block shots and protect the rim but can also stretch the court with 3-point shooting and defend well enough not to get played off the floor. Acquiring a modern two-way center like Turner or Hartenstein could also limit the wear-and-tear and potential injuries due to Anthony Davis having to deal with the raw physicality of playing center in the regular season.

By adding a stretch five center like Myles Turner or Isaiah Hartenstein, the Lakers can upgrade their positional size advantage in the front court and also improve their shooting, rebounding, and points-in-the-paint issues.

How Will Positional Size Impact Lakers Defensively?

Last season, the Lakers’ lack of positional size hurt them defensively in three areas: lack of front court size to control the boards, shot blockers to protect the rim, and guards or wings with the size to defend paint post ups.

Defensively, the Lakers need to get bigger at every position. They need a true starting center with the size to physically bang with Jokic, Embiid, Towns, and other NBA centers who are too big or too physical for Davis. They need bigger small forwards who can guard taller wing scorers like Durant, Antetokounmpo, and Doncic. And they need bigger guards who can switch everything and not be constantly hunted as easy prey on defense.

Adding a defensive center who can protect the rim and defend in space, a proven wing defender who can guard bigger wing scorers, and bigger guards who can switch everything will give Lakers a positional size edge. They may start games with a traditional two bigs lineup with Davis at the four and the new center at the five and close games by replacing the center with an elite wing defender and finishing with small-ball-on-steroids.

Defensively, having positional size advantage should enable the Lakers to transform poor rebounding, weak shot blocking, and easily hunted defenders from being their greatest weaknesses to their greatest strengths.

Why Could Positional Size Be Key to Lakers’ Championship?

Dominant positional size was the path the Los Angeles Lakers took to win their 17th NBA championship and, with a few modernizing tweaks, should be the same strategy they follow when rebuilding their roster this summer.

In many ways, the Lakers have bought in on the league-wide lack of respect for what the center position means to winning in an NBA where Rudy Gobert can win DPOY but can be played off the court by teams going small. The minutes and games that have been wasted with the forgettable and mostly over-the-hill rent-a-centers the Lakers have deployed over the last few seasons is almost criminal. Centers still matter, just like midrange shots.

LeBron James and Anthony Davis give the Lakers an advantage no other NBA team has in that they have two superstars who can play and defend all five positions on the court. They’re solid gold roster building wild cards. Getting bigger by adding a center instead of a forward enables the Lakers to take advantage of their stars’ versatility while reducing their workload and limiting some of the low post physicality that can lead to injuries.

Next to hiring a new head coach and trading Westbrook, bringing in a young modern two-way center to start alongside James and Davis would give the Lakers a significant size advantage at every position.

Three Westbrook Mega Trades Turn Lakers into NBA Championship Team

April 28, 2022 By LakerTom 3 Comments

Forget the snake bit season, bad luck injuries, and silly pundits screaming nobody wants Russ. It’s not about Westbrook as a player. It’s about how his $47 million expiring contract can clean up a team’s salary cap in just a year.

Teams like the Indiana Pacers, Charlotte Hornets, and Houston Rockets are rebuilding and will be looking to reduce salaries by dumping players with large long-term contracts for players with smaller expiring contracts. Trading for Russell Westbrook and his $47 million expiring contract can save a teams between $50 and $100 million in salaries, completely clean up their salary cap, and pick up a pair of valuable first round picks.

The Lakers’ target return on any Westbrook trade is three legitimate rotation players who can start and complement superstars LeBron James and Anthony Davis and transform the team into a championship contender. The three players the Lakers hoped to start with LeBron and AD this past season were Westbrook, Horton-Tucker, and Nunn. Because of poor play and injuries, THT and Nunn were replaced by minimum salary players.

The Lakers’ goal this offseason is to trade Westbrook’s expiring contract, Horton-Tucker, and their 2027 and 2029 first round draft picks for three starter-quality rotation players who earn on average $20 million per year. While they would like to keep one of their draft picks, avoid taking back contracts longer than two years, and limit their luxury tax bill, the Lakers know next season is probably their best chance to win again this decade.

Here are four trades of Westbrook and Lakers’ 2027 first round pick that should be available this summer and expanded versions of each trade adding THT and a 2029 first round pick for an important third player.

1. Indiana Pacers Trade

As potential trading partners, the Lakers and Pacers are a perfect match. The Lakers need to trade Russell Westbrook and the Pacers need to dump the long-term contracts of Buddy Hield and Malcolm Brogdon.

While there have been several variations discussed, the basic trade many expect to happen would be the Lakers trading Russell Westbrook and a 2027 first round pick to the Pacers for guards Buddy Hield and Malcolm Brogdon. The Lakers would get a new starting backcourt that has size and can shoot. The Pacers would be thrilled to dump Hield’s 2-years and $39 million and Brogdon’s 3-years and $67 million for Russ’ $47 million and a first rounder.

That trade would leave the Lakers with Talen Horton-Tucker, Kendrick Nunn, and their 2029 first round draft pick as chips to pursue a starting 3&D wing or small forward like Jerami Grant, T.J. Warren, or Otto Porter, Jr. Instead of adding size via a wing, however, the Lakers might be smarter to expand the Pacers trade to include Indiana center Myles Turner in return for shooting guard Talen Horton-Tucker and a 2029 first round draft pick.

Expanding the trade to include Myles Turner as well as Buddy Hield and Malcolm Brogdon would dramatically upgrade the Lakers’ starting lineup, giving them three starters with annual salaries greater than $20 million. Turner, Hield, and Brogdon would replace Russ and two minimum salary starters and give Lakers three better players who can stretch the floor on offense and have the size to guard multiple positions and switch on defense.

Myles Turner, 26- years old, 6′ 11″, 250 lbs
12.9/7.1/1.9 and 50.9%/33.3% on 4.4 3PA/75.2%
Buddy Hield, 29- years old, 6′ 4″, 220 lbs
15.6/4.4/2.8 and 44.7%/36.2% on 8.5 3PA/89.6%
Malcolm Brogdon, 29-years old, 6′ 5″, 229 lbs
19.1/5.1/5.9 and 44.8%/31.2% on 5.2 3PA/85.6%

Starters: PG-Brogdon, SG-Hield, SF-James, PF-Davis, CE-Turner
Reserves: PG-Nunn, SG-Reaves, SF-Johnson, PF-Gabriel, CE-Howard

The Pacers’ trades are still my favorite two or three player trade. If the Lakers cannot get Turner, then they should trade for Hield and Brogdon and look to trade for or sign T.J. Warren or Otto Porter, Jr. as free agents.

2. Charlotte Hornets Trade

The Charlotte Hornets are another NBA team most likely to become a Los Angeles Lakers’ Russ trading partner as they would love to dump Gordon Hayward’s 3-years and $91.5 million for Westbrook’s expiring $47 million.

The other player usually included to make Westbrook’s and Hayward’s salaries match for the trade is Kelly Oubre. For the Lakers to take on Hayward’s contract, the Hornets would have to include guard Terry Rozier. The Lakers would get a new starting point guard who’s a lethal shooter and a veteran starting small forward who is a perfect fit for LeBron James and Anthony Davis. The Pacers save almost $50 million in long-term salaries.

That trade would give the Lakers two of the three starters they need next to LeBron James and Anthony Davis and leave them with Talen Horton-Tucker, Kendrick Nunn, and their 2029 first round pick as trading chips. Like with the Pacers, the Lakers would be smart to try and expand the trade to include Horton-Tucker and a second pick for Indiana’s P.J. Washington, a young 3&D wing who’d be excellent insurance should Hayward get injured.

Expanding the trade to include P.J. Washington as well as Terry Rozier and Gordon Hayward would dramatically upgrade the Lakers’ starting lineup as Washington could easily start at shooting guard alongside Rozier at point. Hayward, Rozier, and Washington would replace Russ and two minimum salary starters and give L.A. three players who can stretch the floor on offense and have the size to guard multiple positions and switch on defense.

Gordon Hayward, 29-years old, 6′ 5″, 229 lbs
19.1/5.1/5.9 and 44.8%/31.2% on 5.2 3PA/85.6%
Terry Rozier, 28-years old, 6′ 1″, 190 lbs
19.3/4.3/4.5 and 44.4%/37.4% on 8.1 3PA/85.2%
P.J. Washington, 23-years old, 6′ 7″, 230 lbs
10.3/5.2/2.3 and 47.0%/36.5% on 4.6 3PA/71.6%

Starters: PG-Rozier, SG-Washington, SF-Hayward, PF-James, CE-Davis
Reserves: GP-Nunn, SG-Reaves, SF-Johnson, PF-Gabriel, CE-Howard

The Hornets’ trades are a close second to the Pacers’ trades. The difference is the versatility of the Pacers trade to go two bigs or small-ball-on-steroids that the Hornets deals doesn’t have although I love PJ Washington’s upside.

3. Houston Rockets Trade

The Rockets are the Lakers third option as a Westbrook trading partner with L.A. trading Russell Westbrook, Talen Horton-Tucker, and their 2027 first round pick for shooting guard Eric Gordon and point guard John Wall.

That trade would give the Lakers two of three starters they need next to LeBron James and Anthony Davis and leave them with Kendrick Nunn and their 2029 first round draft pick as key trading chips for a third new starter. Like with the Pacers and Hornets, the Lakers would be smart to try and expand the trade to include the Rockets’ stretch five center Christian Wood in return for Kendrick Nunn and the Lakers’ 2029 first round draft pick.

Expanding the trade to include Christian Wood as well as Eric Gordon and John Wall would dramatically upgrade Lakers’ starting lineup as Gordon and Wall would start in the backcourt while Wood starts as stretch center. The trio of Gordon, Wall, and Wood as starters would be a major upgrade at both ends of the court over Russell Westbrook and the two minimum salary players who started games for most of the season for the Lakers.

Eric Gordon, 33-years old, 6′ 3″, 215 lbs
13.4/2.0/2.7 and 47.5%/41.2% on 5.3 3PA/77.8%
John Wall, 31-years old, 6′ 3″, 210 lbs
20.6/3.2/6.9 and 40.4%/31.7% on 6.2 3PA/85.2%
Christian Wood, 26-years old, 6′ 9″, 214 lbs
17.9/10.1/2.3 and 50.1%/39.0% on 4.9 3PA/62.3%

Starters: PG-Wall, SG-Gordon, SF-James, PF-Davis, CE-Wood
Reserves: SG-Reaves, PF-Gabriel, CE-Howard

Final note on the Rockets trade is the Lakers do have to give up two rotation player in Nunn and Johnson to make the trade but they will also have Wall’s $47 million expiring contract to move at the deadline or next offseason.

Five Reasons Why Lakers Should Go Super Big To Win NBA Championship

April 16, 2022 By LakerTom 23 Comments

The Lakers won the NBA championship in the bubble by starting a bigger, more physical player at every position. This summer the Lakers need to go super big and build a modern version of the bubble championship team.

During eighteen months since the Lakers won the championship with their small-ball-on-steroids style of basketball, Pelinka seems to have forgotten what worked as he essentially downsized the Lakers at every position. The poor roster construction was exacerbated by the plague of injuries that left the Lakers reverting a micro-ball lineups with LeBron James starting at the five and the team bleeding rebounds and points in the paint.

Bigger guards like Green and Caldwell-Pope were replaced by smaller guards like Schroeder and Westbrook, small forwards like Kuzma and Morris were replaced by undersized wings like Reaves and Horton-Tucker. Instead of 7-footers like McGee and Howard eating up regular season minutes at center, Pelinka countered with ineffective rent-a-centers like undersized Harrell and over-the-hill Gasol, Drummond, and Jordan.

The Lakers have two paths to get bigger: leave James and Davis at the four and five and add a bigger 3&D wing like Grant or Reddish to the three or go super big by trading for a modern stretch five like Turner or Wood. Going super big with Myles Turner or Christian Wood to recreate a modern version of the lineup that won the bubble championship with a stretch rather than low post center could be the smart move for the Lakers.

Let’s look at the four reasons it would be smart for the Lakers to supersize their starting lineup by adding a modern stretch five center like Myles Turner or Christian Wood to complement LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

1. Going Super Big Is Lakers’ Best Chance to Win Championship

The best path to for the Los Angeles Lakers to win a championship in today’s NBA is to recreate a modern version of the super big purple and gold team that won the 2020 NBA championship in the bubble eighteen months ago.

Having two quality 7-foot centers who can protect the rim and dominate the glass and allow LeBron James and Anthony Davis to play the three and four instead of the four and five was a major reason why the Lakers won #17. What we’ve seen the last two seasons as the Lakers have downsized their roster is that size still counts and the formula of having bigger and more physical players at every position is a blueprint the Lakers need to follow.

The only thing the Lakers should change in their super big formula is replace two 7-foot low post traditional centers with two 7-foot modern centers who can protect the rim and also stretch the floor with shooting. The Lakers can’t count on LeBron and AD shooting over 40% from deep. They need to surround them with 3-point shooters who can stretch defenses and prevent them from packing the paint to prevent layups.

The only way the Lakers can recreate the super big lineups to win a championship next season is by trading for a center who can protect the rim and shoot the three instead of seeking a 3&D wing small forward.

2. Going Super Big Will Help Keep James and Davis Healthy

After all the injuries to LeBron James and Anthony Davis the past two seasons, the main reason for the Lakers to go super big could be to keep their two injury-prone superstars from getting injured or just worn out.

It’s one thing to play Anthony Davis at the five to win sixteen playoff games and another to start him at the five for 82 games. Considering is history and preference, limiting AD’s minutes at the five is common sense. Davis has appeared in just 40 of the Lakers’ 82 games this season and just 36 of the team’s 82 games last season. Lakers would be wise to limit Anthony’s minutes at the five by trading for a modern two-way center to start games.

Playing small ball all the time is like playing up and can add tremendous physical wear-and-tear to a player because a good portion of his minutes are often going to be played against a bigger and more physical player. That means AD is often banging against centers instead of forwards and LeBron is battling against power forward instead of small forwards. Lakers need to rethink how their rotation decisions impact their superstars’ health.

The Lakers going big by trading for a modern two-way starting center like Myles Turner or Christian Wood should relieve the front court workload and reduce the injury risk for superstars LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

3. Going Super Big Will Improve Lakers’ Rim Protection

One of benefits of the Lakers going big and trading for a shot blocking center like Turner or Wood rather than a 3&D wing like Grant or Redding is to have an elite shot blocker on the court for 48 minutes per game.

At the heart of the Lakers’ defensive issues this season was their lack of rim protection, which fell from a league best 6.6 blocks per game in the 2020 championship season to 7th with just 5.2 blocks per game this last season. Having elite shot blocking 48 minutes of the game should also improve the Lakers opponent field goal percentage, which at 47.0% last season was 22nd in the league compared to 44.8% in 2020, which was 8th best in the league.

Adding a young stretch five center like Myles Turner or Christian Wood would give the Lakers a bully-ball front court the league hasn’t seen for decades with three skilled rim protectors who boast elite hops, power, and athleticism. Turner has led the league in blocked shots the past two seasons with 2.8 blocks for game last year and 3.4 blocks per game this year. Wood has averaged 1.0 and 1.2 blocked shots per game over the last two seasons.

Defense wins championships and great defense starts with great rim protection. Going super big by trading for an elite shot blocking center should dramatically improve the Lakers rim protection and overall defense.

4. Going Super Big Will Improve Lakers’ Rebounding

Going super big will solve the Lakers’ rebounding woes due to playing with greatly undersized lineups due to poor roster construction and injuries. Controlling the glass, especially defensively, is critical to winning games.

Last season, the Los Angeles Lakers averaged 44.0 rebounds per game, 18th in the league. That compares to 45.7 rebounds per game and for a 9th best ranking during their championship run in the bubble back in 2020. The potential to dominate the back boards with a bully-ball front court of LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Myles Turner is big reason for the Lakers to prioritize adding a modern two-way center instead of a 3&D wing.

Adding a starting quality center like Myles Turner or Christian Wood should give the Lakers more rebounding punch than adding a small forward like Jerami Grant or Cam Reddish. Size matters when it comes to rebounding. While Myles Turner, who is taller at 6′ 11″ and heavier at 250 lbs, averaged just 7.1 rebounds per game last season while Christian Wood, who is shorter at 6′ 9″ and lighter at 200 lbs, was able to average 10.1 rebounds last year.

Control the glass and often you will control the game. Going super big by trading for a modern two-way center rather than a 3&D small forward will help the Lakers become a championship caliber rebounding team.

5. Going Super Big Will Unleash Anthony Davis at the Three

There is also a possible surprise reward for the Lakers going super big and trading for a modern two-way center, which is unleashing Anthony Davis to play small forward, the position he wants to finish his career playing.

Because they don’t want to wear out or injure 37-year old LeBron James by having him play small forward and chase smaller wing scorers around picks, the Lakers will start and play LeBron most of his time at the four. That opens the door for the Lakers to move AD and his ability to defend all five positions to the three where he can become the team’s leading scorer and shut-down defender who guards the opposing team’s top wing scorer.

Davis has reportedly told the Lakers he would ultimately like to play the three, where his creative handle and elite ballhandling would have more room to make offensive moves and attack the basket than playing the four or five. Defensively, Davis at the three could be the missing lock-down wing defender the Lakers have long coveted to guard the Kawhi Leonards, Paul Georges, Kevin Durants, and other wing scorers who’ve haunted the Lakers.

Going super big with a modern version of the Lakers bully ball championship team has the potential to transform AD into the top-five superstar who can take the baton from LeBron and be the Lakers’ alpha.

Why the Lakers Will Receive Multiple Offers to Trade for Russell Westbrook!

April 14, 2022 By LakerTom 5 Comments

There will be multiple teams like the Pacers and Hornets looking to dump rotation players on long-term contracts for future cap space who would love to trade for Russell Westbrook’s $47 million expiring contract this summer.

Trading for Westbrook’s gigantic expiring contract offers rebuilding teams the perfect opportunity to move the multi-year contracts of rotation players whose timelines don’t match their rebuild to create future cap space. Westbrook not only offers teams like the Pacers and Hornets a way to dump long-term salary but to do so without having to include sweeteners like first draft picks. Instead, they might even be able to acquire draft capital.

For example, the Charlotte Hornets could dump the salaries of Gordon Hayward, Kelly Oubre, Jr., and Mason Plumlee to the Lakers in return for Russell Westbrook without having to give up a draft pick as compensation. Since the Lakers need a point guard to replace Westbrook, they might be willing to include a first round draft picks if the Hornets would substitute point guard Terry Rozier instead of Kelly Oubre and Mason Plumlee.

Similarly, the Indiana Pacers could dump the salaries of Malcolm Brogdon and Buddy Hield in a straight up trade to the Lakers in return for Russell Westbrook without having to give up a first round pick as compensation. Since the Lakers also had serious interest in stretch center Myles Turner, they might be willing to include 21-year old Talen Horton-Tucker and a first round draft pick if the Hornets would also included Myles Turner.

While teams like the OKC Thunder, New York Knicks, Houston Rockets, and Detroit Pistons could also be interested in trading for Westbrook, the Indiana Pacers and Charlotte Hornets are the most likely trading partners. Now that the Lakers’, Pacers’ and Hornets’ NBA seasons have ended, Pelinka should be on the phone pushing the Pacers for a Turner, Brogdon, and Hield trade and the Hornets for a Hayward, Rozier, and Oubre trade.

The Lakers are fortunate there are a half dozen teams looking to dump rotation players on long-term contracts for future cap space who’d love to trade for Russell Westbrook’s $47 million expiring contract this summer.