The NBA trade scenarios continue to swirl around Russell Westbrook and the possibility of him landing on the Lakers.
It was a polarizing debate, but ultimately, the Lakers may be prudent not to trade for Westbrook. Instead, the team should build their team to become more competitive to sell themselves as a viable destination.
As Royce Young of ESPN noted in his revealing piece, Westbrook does not want to carry the burden of an entire team, let alone an entire city especially Los Angeles.
"It's an easy assumption to say Westbrook would relish taking over the alpha role of the team, but contrary to popular belief, that's not something he has ever wanted," Young revealed. The ESPN reporter has covered the Thunder extensively.
Young continues: "Westbrook cares only about winning, sometimes a little too much. But he's now facing the reality of carrying the burden of the franchise, of being the public face, of answering every media question, of recruiting free agents, of being the cultivator of culture, of leading a young roster in transition. It's a lot to consider."
If Westbrook is reluctant to "lead a young roster" in Oklahoma, he won't be so eager to do it even in LA. If the Lakers want to be a Westbrook destination, they need to get veteran All-Star talent.
Trading D'Angelo Russell and Brandon Ingram for Westbrook is the worst possible move. The roster will be depleted and it might even miss the playoffs. Russ would definitely not re-sign in that situation.
Perhaps the best strategy for the Lakers is to trade for a veteran superstar without losing D'Angelo Russell or Brandon Ingram. Fortunately for the Lakers, the Cleveland Cavaliers has a need that they can fill.
According to Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report, the Cleveland Cavaliers needs a reserve point guard. With the cloud of uncertainty still hovering over JR Smith, the Cavs could use someone like Jordan Clarkson who can take over or play alongside Kyrie Irving. The Cavs are still rumored to trade Kevin Love and his trade value is not as high anymore.
The Lakers can offer Jordan Clarkson, Julius Randle and future draft picks to the Cavs. Julius Randle will be a downgrade from Love, but he has massive upside and is actually predicted to make the leap this season. (This trade could happen later in the season when Clarkson becomes eligible)
The Cavs would gain more depth, not to mention get two younger, hungrier players in exchange for Kevin Love, who would return to his college city (Love played with Westbrook in UCLA).
The Lakers would get to keep Ingram, Russell and add Love to their core. They have veteran point guards to back up D'Angelo in Calderon and Huertas for this season.
If Love clicks and Russell and Ingram become the players they were projected to be, this is a scenario that Westbrook would definitely be on board with.