This is year 2 of Russell Westbrook’s tenure in LA, and it just hasn’t worked out.
Some of it is his own doing, and some of it is the franchise’s fault. To his credit, he’s been very professional throughout his tenure and thrived in his role off the bench.
That hasn’t stopped the Lakers from wanting to trade him, though.
The most recent trade talks have the future Hall of Famer heading to Utah and would eventually be bought out. It would be a 3 team trade, with the Lakers receiving D’Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley, and Jared Vanderbilt while sending out picks. The 3rd team involved is the Wolves, who receive Mike Conley and possible picks and players.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski the deal has been completed.
The Los Angeles Lakers have agreed to a deal to land Minnesota’s D’Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley and Jarred Vanderbilt in a three-team trade also involving the Utah Jazz, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
In the trade, the Timberwolves will receive guards Mike Conley and Nickeil Alexander-Walker and picks, while the Jazz will receive Russell Westbrook, Juan Toscano-Anderson, Damian Jones and a 2027 Lakers first-round pick that is top-four protected, sources said. If the Lakers’ pick to the Jazz is not conveyed in 2027 — if it falls into the top four — the pick immediately converts to a 2027 second-round pick, sources told ESPN’s Zach Lowe.
According to sources, all players involved have been notified about the trade, including Westbrook.
This comes on the heels of Westbrook getting into a shouting match with head coach Darwin Ham.
The NBA trade deadline is Thursday at 3 pm ET, so the wheeling and dealing are far from over. This could end up being Westbrook’s last season in the NBA.
Flip the pages to see Lakers fans react to the trade that they have been begging to happen for a year now.
