Recent reports have indicated the Houston Rockets could offer the Los Angeles Lakers a way out of Russell Westbrook’s contract.
Longtime NBA insider Marc Stein said the Rockets would take Westbrook for John Wall, but the Lakers would need to send their 2027 first-round pick for the deal to go through. Otherwise, the deal will not happen.
But in Stein’s latest newsletter (paid subscription), the Lakers are not willing to make that happen:
The Lakers, though, appear determined to stick with Westbrook through at least the rest of the season, which means holding onto their 2027 first-round draft pick for other potential trade opportunities.
League sources say that the Lakers, presented with an unexpected pathway to abort their Westbrook experiment by trading the NBA’s 2017 Most Valuable Player back to the Rockets in exchange for former All-Star John Wall, are unwilling to attach the 2027 first-rounder to make the deal happen.
Stein listed the reasons the Lakers wouldn’t include it, according to sources: Wall doesn’t guarantee a higher ceiling for L.A, and the organization doesn’t want to pay a premium to admit the Westbrook move was a mistake. Los Angeles also hopes Westbrook finds a new gear late in the season as he did last year with the Washington Wizards.
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