Lakers comfortable heading into training camp with Russell Westbrook on their roster

Sources say the Lakers are comfortable heading into training camp with Westbrook on their roster, hoping new coach Darvin Ham can unlock increased intensity on defense while another season with James and Davis makes life easier on offense. The …

Sources say the Lakers are comfortable heading into training camp with Westbrook on their roster, hoping new coach Darvin Ham can unlock increased intensity on defense while another season with James and Davis makes life easier on offense. The argument for that, of course, is if the Lakers can’t build into a true contender via trade this month, wait and handle it down the road either through free agency or future trades. A bad deal now that forces them to offload one or two future firsts wouldn’t dramatically raise the ceiling on this year’s team and handcuff them even more down the road, sort of a worst-case scenario for the organization.

Source: Dan Woike @ Los Angeles Times

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Micah Adams @MicahAdams13
Donovan Mitchell trade…
Winners:
Cavs, Jazz, LeBron, Bogdanovic, Conley, Ainge, Love, Dan Gilbert, First Take tomorrow morning
Losers:
Knicks, Wembanyama Sweepstakes, Westbrook, Pacers, East playoff contenders, 2023 All-Star in Salt Lake, Sam Presti’s draft mojo – 7:17 PM
Frank Isola @TheFrankIsola
What does this all mean for Russell Westbrook? If you could get two future first round picks from LA would you do Kyrie for Westbrook? – 3:48 PM
StatMuse @statmuse
Most points in the 2010s:
19,550 — LeBron
19,445 — Durant
18,627 — Harden
17,603 — Westbrook
Who were the top 5 players of the decade? pic.twitter.com/bNDARAy7Zs – 2:37 PM

Mirjam Swanson @MirjamSwanson
Swanson: Russell Westbrook and Patrick Beverley as Lakers teammates? Why not! ocregister.com/2022/08/31/swa… – 11:35 AM
Tony East @TEastNBA
New Locked On Pacers exploring roster moves that have been popularly discussed recently:
-Key dates coming up regarding Kendall Brown and Daniel Theis
-Options for reaching the salary floor
-Westbrook trade thoughts
Tune in:https://t.co/zmFKjC8Qm3 pic.twitter.com/F0A4iMwXcC – 9:36 AM

Eric Pincus @EricPincus
Latest @BleacherReport Is Russell Westbrook the Missing Piece to Knicks-Jazz Donovan Mitchell Trade?
bleacherreport.com/articles/10047… – 3:14 PM
Sam Amick @sam_amick
ICYMI, Lakers owner Jeanie Buss unplugged, at @TheAthletic
* The Hulu experience
* Why she sees the criticism of her Magic Johnson/Phil Jackson/Linda Rambis trust as off-base
* What the LBJ extension means
* The Russell Westbrook/Pat Beverly topic
theathletic.com/3549236/2022/0… – 2:40 PM
StatMuse @statmuse
Westbrook vs Beverley head-to-head matchups:
Russ — Pat —
25/8/8 8/5/3
45/31/72% 40/33/74%
Beverley is up 14-9 all-time. pic.twitter.com/DRjD3dyDSQ – 1:08 PM

Michael Scotto @MikeAScotto
Sources: Before the Lakers traded Talen Horton-Tucker to the Jazz, the Pacers inquired about THT in Russell Westbrook trade talks.
More on Russ, Patrick Beverley, LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Austin Reaves and Kendrick Nunn with @Jovan Buha on @Jorge Sierra hoopshype.com/lists/lakers-r… – 10:02 AM
Kurt Helin @basketballtalk
Lakers’ Jeanie Buss talks Westbrook, why Lakers will never tank nba.nbcsports.com/2022/08/30/lak… – 7:12 PM
Kurt Helin @basketballtalk
Westbrook, Beverley reportedly talked since becoming Laker teammates nba.nbcsports.com/2022/08/30/wes… – 4:55 PM
Sam Amick @sam_amick
Jeanie Buss talks all things Lakers here, including the Russell Westbrook/Patrick Beverley dynamic that comes with so much (acrimonious) history, at @TheAthletic
Story – https://t.co/EXMjKemeHC
Podcast – https://t.co/dOBRrdbX3R pic.twitter.com/zTTbrUsgMs – 3:07 PM

Marc Stein @TheSteinLine
Russell Westbrook and Patrick Beverley have already been in contact since becoming Lakers teammates, league sources tell me, and new coach Darvin Ham has told them he has lineups in mind to play Russ and PatBev side-by-side.
More around-the-NBA notes: marcstein.substack.com/p/nba-notes-on… – 3:00 PM
Sam Amick @sam_amick
Talking all things Lakers, with owner Jeanie Buss, at @TheAthletic
On the “Legacy” show and what we learn about their much talked-about inner workings along the way. Talking LeBron’s extension/future, Russell Westbrook/Patrick Beverley and much more.
theathletic.com/3549236/2022/0… – 10:30 AM

More on this storyline

The Lakers have hesitated to trade their 2027 and 2029 first-round picks in any deal that doesn’t make them serious contenders for the next two seasons (when James is guaranteed to be under contract). Maybe Conley’s inclusion in a deal, considering the $24 million owed after this season, would allow for the Lakers to gather a small handful of top-tier rotation players for a final push with James. And maybe the Lakers could push for Jared Vanderbilt, a 23-year-old defense and rebounding specialist, who recently signed with Klutch Sports, as a sweetener in any deal where they’re sacrificing a future first. Also, the Lakers might still prefer a Hield-Turner trade costing two firsts than any bundle they’re able to cook up with the Jazz. There’s also been a long flirtation with former first-round pick Cam Reddish, who the team was linked to last season at the deadline and over this offseason. -via Los Angeles Times / September 2, 2022
Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson: Byron Scott on Lakers to @BovadaOfficial: “I’m hoping this year that they’re healthy, I’m hoping that they’ve been working out and getting ready for the season, getting ready for the preseason and all that stuff because I think those guys together could be dynamic.” -via Twitter / August 31, 2022
Michael Scotto: It seems like the best trade the Lakers can make if they want to move Russell Westbrook and try to win this season is with Indiana for Myles Turner and Buddy Hield. One note that’s interesting is before the Lakers traded Talen Horton-Tucker to Utah in the Patrick Beverley trade, the Pacers were trying to get Horton-Tucker, I’m told. Essentially, Indiana was hoping to get Westbrook’s expiring contract, the Lakers’ two first-round picks in 2027 and 2029, along with Horton-Tucker for Turner, Hield and they wanted to make LA take Daniel Theis, who has some years looking ahead on his contract. Theis is more of a fit on a playoff-caliber team as we saw with the Celtics previously. The Lakers weren’t trying to essentially part with THT for Theis in that expanded trade package discussion after already having reservations about moving two first-round picks to get off Westbrook’s contract. In talking with people around the league, anybody that’s taking on Westbrook wants both of those first-round picks. -via HoopsHype / August 31, 2022