Russell Westbrook and D'Angelo Russell (Photo : Getty Images)
The LA Lakers were not at all overwhelming players in free agency this season.
Not too many free agents were excited to join an unproven Lakers team that won only 17 games last season. Despite all the positive additions like no.2 overall pick Brandon Ingram and coach Luke Walton, they still need to see the product on the court.
Despite all the criticism on the Lakers no longer being a free agent destinations, there is already talk on who they could pursue in the next offseason.
With Durant already gone, Russell Westbrook is a definite flight risk. A horde of teams will try to trade for him and even the Lakers have been rumored to send D'Angelo Russell and Brandon Ingram, as suggested by Michael Pina of Real GM.
"The idea of Oklahoma City turning into the Lakers isn't particularly attractive, but Russell and Ingram both have All-Star potential. Compared to the other offers that would be on the table, though, Los Angeles may not have enough to get their hometown star."
However, there are many arguments from the Lakers' team sites stating tha trading for Westbrook is not only foolish, it's even unnecessary. It's foolish because it would be decimating the young core that took years to build. Ingram and Russell are the brightest rays of hope for the franchise and trading them away will set the team back.
Also, as Ryan Phillips from The Big Lead mentioned, Westbrook will be a free agent at the end of next season. Thus, he gives a reminder.
"No, trading two to three young pieces for a guy heading into free agency doesn't 'make sense' for Los Angeles. The last time the Lakers sent a package of assets for a guy in the last year of his contract, his name was Dwight Howard and it didn't end well," Phillips noted.
The departure of Dwight Howard is what ushered in the Lakers' three seasons of mediocrity. They mortgaged too much of their future to build that supposed superteam, now Howard has left and Steve Nash never returned from injury. The draft pick that the Lakers owe Philadelphia (top three protected next season) was one of the concessions when they traded for Nash.
If Westbrook wants to join the Lakers, he could sign as a free agent. The Lakers will be there, pitching Hollywood, the bright lights of LA that UCLA alum Westbrook is familiar with. But what the Lakers can sell most is the development of their young core. If Ingram, Russell, Randle and Clarkson all pan out and the Lakers clear enough space for two max contracts, the possibility looms-a face-off with Kevin Durant and the Golden State Warriors.
Westbrook can bring along his old pal Serge Ibaka-who can develop into a stretch five type of player. While this is extremely speculation, it can happen because they are both free agents.
While there seems to be no bad blood for Kevin Durant, Westbrook and Ibaka together in the Lakers as the Warriors' Division rival is a storyline so ridiculous to conceive it could actually happen. Just like Durant joining Golden State was ridiculous a season ago.
