“Without Anthony Davis he could help the ship stay afloat” - NBA analyst says getting Indiana Pacers duo in a Russell Westbrook trade makes the most sense for the Lakers
Not many approve of the LA Lakers' offseason moves so far, especially with Russell Westbrook still on the roster. It was once reported that the Lakers opened talks with the Indiana Pacers to get Buddy Hield and Myles Turner for Westbrook.
However, that move did not get much traction, as the Lakers were reportedly more interested in pursuing Kyrie Irving. The refusal to include a second first-round draft pick also stalled that negotiation.
After extending LeBron, the Lakers are now all-in on trading for Kyrie. 😳 https://t.co/ODNSESiZRH
Hield has been linked with the Lakers since the 2021 offseason, but they ended up landing Westbrook during that time. Surrounding LeBron James with adept shooters is always a great idea, but the Lakers opted to acquire a third star.
With the offseason's end inching closer, many are worried that the Lakers do not have a formidable squad to contend for the title. Meanwhile, ESPN analyst Marc J. Spears believes trading for Hield and Turner will have a lot of upside. On NBA Today, Spears said:
"If you get Myles Turner, you get somebody that could, he averaged seven rebounds a game last season. He also makes one-and-a-half threes a game, he averaged 13.0 points. I think Myles Turner really helps the Lakers. If Anthony Davis misses games, you've got a quality power forward/center who could fill the void.
That was the bad thing with the Lakers, once Anthony was gone, their bigs were depleted. they had nobody to fill the void. So, with Anthony Davis, those two guys I think can be great together. Without Anthony Davis he could help the ship stay afloat."
There is still ample time to make changes to their roster ahead of the new season. Unfortunately, the point guard is not commanding any value right now, which has made things more difficult for the purple and gold.
The LA Lakers are okay to work with Russell Westbrook if he is not traded
The Lakers are trying to trade the point guard, but there is a chance they might be overstating his value, especially after the season he had. Teams are also not willing to pick up his $47 million salary. The All-Star guard opted into his player option for the 2022-23 season.
New head coach Darvin Ham has spoken highly of the former Oklahoma City guard and has talked about how he intends to utilize him. Ham's message has been centered around sacrifice and accountability.
Russ has been caught ball-watching several times on defense, something Ham is looking to change. It has also been reported that the coach has been given the authority to bench Westbrook whenever he wants.
I said this since day one that AD is the focal point of the Lakers offense. Hope he lives up to expectations this upcoming season and give us a MVP caliber season. LeBron and Darvin Ham allegedly agreed that Anthony Davis should be the focal point of the Lakers' offense. 👀 https://t.co/oHaKeCLBax
Although the Lakers are still trying to use him to acquire a player who might be a better fit, they are prepared to start their 2022-23 campaign with him on the roster. It is worth noting that they will reportedly be running their offense through Anthony Davis.