Los Angeles Lakers ‘considering multiple trade options after December 15 including Russell Westbrook – with team having internal talks about Chicago Bulls’ Demar DeRozan’
The Los Angeles Lakers are weighing several potential trade avenues to explore after December 15, according to a report from The Athletic.
A separate report from ESPN noted that one of the possible trades the Lakers have been discussing internally centers around sending point guard and current favorite for NBA Sixth Man of the Year Russell Westbrook to Chicago in exchange for Demar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic.
‘The trade I saw on Twitter was Russ and both picks, one with light protections I think, for DeRozan and Vucevic,’ Zach Lowe said on his podcast.
The Los Angeles Lakers are reportedly discussing trading Russell Westbrook among options
ESPN reported that LA has had ‘internal discussions’ about a Westbrook trade with the Bulls
‘I can tell you 100 percent for sure the Lakers have had internal discussions about that very possibility [trading for DeRozan and Vucevic] if it would ever come up.
‘Not that they [the Lakers] would do it, let me be clear. Just, you look around the league, like any responsible team would.’
The picks being referred to are the unprotected 2027 first rounder and top-five-protected 2029 first rounder owned by the Lakers.
This would fall in line with what The Athletic reported, saying that the first of the three trade paths the Lakers were considering involved moving Westbrook and the few draft picks the Lakers have for another star player, or a multi-player package.
Westbrook celebrates after the Lakers score against the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday
Beverley dribbles the ball up court and calls out a play against the Los Angeles Clippers
The second path the Lakers are said to be considering involves trading a combination of Patrick Beverley, Kendrick Nunn, and draft picks for role players to upgrade the LA’s rotation at positions of need.
The third and most radical path LA is said to be considering would be two separate trades involving both of the Westbrook and Beverley or Nunn possibilities.
Any of the potential trades would likely bring a much-needed refresh to a Lakers team that has been struggling since last season.
After missing the playoffs, the Lakers fired former head coach Frank Vogel and replaced him with new coach Darvin Ham.
As of now the Lakers have a record of 9-12 and are 11th in the NBA’s Western Conference.
Darvin Ham is in his first season as Lakers head coach as he looks to turn the team around
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