But the Wizards were still under tremendous pressure as this season approached and rival teams had Beal circled as a potential trade acquisition. When they listed goals for the team before the most recent NBA draft, Sheppard and the Wizards’ front office decided they had to prioritize depth. They wanted to get better by getting deeper. It just wasn’t clear how they could do it. “You start doing the internal inventory, and nothing really came up,” Sheppard said. “But you keep making calls.” One of those calls they kept making was to the Los Angeles Lakers. Westbrook never requested a trade, Sheppard said, but he made it known that he would love the opportunity to play for his hometown team. “The answer is always no if you don’t ask,” Sheppard said.