As badly as the Russell Westbrook experiment played out last season, things have gone even worse for the Los Angeles Lakers thus far this year. They are 0-3 through three games, and Westbrook is shooting a paltry 28.9 percent from the field and 8.3 percent from deep. With four games against likely playoff teams coming up on the schedule, the Lakers are in danger of wasting their season before it even truly begins.
As such, they are continuing to monitor the Westbrook trade market in the hopes of making a deal that could salvage the campaign. According to Shams Charania, the Lakers are still determined to give this group a 20-25 game sample before rushing into a deal, but that doesn't mean that they aren't keeping an eye on the market.
The Lakers are high on Charlotte Hornets guard Terry Rozier, according to Charania, and they have had preliminary discussions with the San Antonio Spurs about Josh Richardson. A rumored trade with the Indiana Pacers for Myles Turner and Buddy Hield is still a possibility as well, and the Lakers are keeping tabs on all three teams.
The obvious problem with a Rozier-based trade is that he is a small guard who would be joining a roster full of small guards. Even after a Westbrook trade, the Lakers would still have Kendrick Nunn, Dennis Schroder, Austin Reaves and Lonnie Walker IV fighting for minutes. In a perfect world, they would get someone a bit bigger back. Richardson, a 6-6 wing, could fit the bill, but his performance has been inconsistent over the past few years. Turner could fill a major hole at center, as big men besides Anthony Davis have played just 21 total minutes so far this season.
But the major roadblock remains compensation. Every team negotiating with the Lakers wants one or both of their available first-round picks in 2027 and 2029. To this point, the Lakers have hesitated to offer them. By waiting 20-25 games, the Lakers are likely hoping that the trade market expands through outside circumstances. It might, but given the way they've played thus far this season, waiting that long might knock them so far down the standings that it doesn't matter.
