Shams: Three-team deal involving Russell Westbrook has a level of momentum

By HoopsHype | February 8, 2023

What’s the buzz on Twitter? Ben Anderson @BensHoopsThe Lakers meanwhile add a high-volume three-point shooter to the fifth-worst three-point shooting roster in the league, and get rid of Westbrook’s poor percentages.Vando will also give them more rebound-and-go opportunities which will create easy offense. – 10:53 PM Jake Fischer @JakeLFischerNot sure if this has been reported yet, but being told the the top-four protected 2027 Lakers pick heading to Utah with Russell Westbrook will become a 2027 LAL second-round pick if not conveyed. – 9:58 PM Jovan Buha @jovanbuhaI’ll be on Spectrum tonight at 7 pm PT to discuss the three-team trade, Russell Westbrook, LeBron James breaking the all-time scoring record, LA’s next move and more. – 9:55 PM Anil Gogna @AnilGognaNBAWESTBROOK TRADE BREAKDOWN:LAL: D’Angelo, Beasley, VanderbiltUTA: Westbrook, JTA, Damian Jones + ’27 1st via LAL (top-4 protected)MIN: Conley, N. Alexander-Walker + ’24 2nd lesser of WAS/MEM, ’25 2nd via UTA, ’26 2nd via UTAMIN still has to open 1 roster spot. – 9:44 PM Steve Bulpett @SteveBHoopThe latest tonight from @HeavyOnSports:–Lakers and Minnesota were looking to move on from Westbrook and D’Angelo.–Can Miami find a new home for Lowry?–Clippers looking to shed.–Nets want to keep KD on board, stuck w/Ben.–Hornets hurtin’.bit.ly/40EFBUJ – 9:34 PM Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBARussell Westbrook signed a five-year “supermax” deal. He’s been on five teams throughout the life of the deal:Oklahoma City ThunderHouston RocketsWashington WizardsLos Angeles LakersUtah Jazz – 9:16 PM Kevin O’Connor @KevinOConnorNBAAcquiring Russell Westbrook is one of the biggest mistakes in the history of the Lakers. Dumping him with a protected first for this haul of three players might just save their season.Jarred Vanderbilt provides excellent defensive versatility, connective passing, and solid… – 9:01 PM Ben Rohrbach @brohrbach2015: LAL draft D-Lo No. 2 overall2017: LAL trade D-Lo, Mozgov for R1 (Kuzma)2019: BKN trade D-Lo for KD2020: GSW trade D-Lo for Wiggins, R1 (Kuminga)2021: LAL trade Kuzma/KCP/Harrell for Westbrook2023:LAL trade Westbrook, R1 for D-Lo – 9:01 PM Eric Koreen @ekoreenD’Angelo Russell was taken second overall and has since been traded for Brook Lopez, Kevin Durant, Andrew Wiggins and Russell Westbrook. What a transactional career. – 8:59 PM Dave McMenamin @mctenThe Lakers added switchable wing defenders, some shooting and got younger. All while parting ways with Russell Westbrook, whose fit with the franchise never coalesced. With 27 games left in the regular season, LAL is four games out of the No. 6 seed and is 1-2 so far since making… – 8:58 PM Barry Jackson @flasportsbuzzRemarkable how Lakers get three good players for only Westbrook expiring contract and a future first. That Lowry is in second year of three year deal, with nearly 30 M due next season, makes any similarly impactful move difficult for Heat, regrettably – 8:50 PM Sam Quinn @SamQuinnCBSRussell Westbrook signed a five-year supermax contract and managed to get traded at some point in each of the five years he was signed for.We’re never going to see that again. It’s one of the great all-time bits of NBA randomness. – 8:46 PM Kyle Ratke @Kyle_RatkeThe end of a career for a player is so weird. Russell Westbrook just got traded to the Jazz? And will probably get bought out? That seems weird and makes perfect sense at the same time. – 8:36 PM Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNUSource tells @TheAthletic that NBA guard Russell Westbrook would have interest in LA Clippers if he secures buyout after pending trade. – 8:35 PM Arash Markazi @ArashMarkaziThe Lakers move on from Russell Westbrook just as that relationship had reached the point of being fractured beyond repair and part with just one future first round pick (2027) that is top-four protected and land D’Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley and Jarred Vanderbilt. Incredible. – 8:34 PM Chris Haynes @ChrisBHaynesShould Russell Westbrook secure a buyout from the Utah Jazz after the three-team trade is complete, the Los Angeles Clippers are said to have interest in the star guard, league sources tell @NBAonTNT, @BleacherReport. – 8:30 PM Micah Adams @MicahAdams13Has Russell Westbrook played his last game in the NBA?Pretty wild — and poetic — if his last game is in the LeBron breaking record game but with Russ shooting more than anyone in the 4th quarter. – 8:30 PM Alan Hahn @alanhahnBig 8-player deal that retools LeBron’s supporting cast and rids him (and Ham) of Westbrook. DLo playmaking and 3PT shooting a good fit. Conley reunited with Gobert in Minny.Oh and where does Russ wind up next? – 8:28 PM Brad Turner @BA_TurnerCan confirm reports that Lakers are trading Russell Westbrook, first-round pick to Utah, Jazz sending Mike Conley Jr., second-round picks to Minnesota and Lakers get Wolves guard D’Angelo Russell, Jazz players Malik Beasley, Jarred Vanderbilt. – 8:27 PM Chris Mannix @SIChrisMannixMiami had interest in Westbrook back in 2019 but that was a lifetime ago. Bulls need a playmaker and Billy Donovan coached Westbrook in Oklahoma City. Probably the best fit. – 8:24 PM Brandon Rahbar @BrandonRahbarNo matter what other fanbases or organizations think of Russell Westbrook, the Brodie will always be a Thunder legend and will have a statue in OKC one day. – 8:23 PM Bobby Marks @BobbyMarks42Russell Westbrook has $16.2M left on his $47M contract for this season.Utah now has a total of 15 unprotected/lightly protected 1’s over the next 7 years.Could generate up to $60M in room this offseason. – 8:20 PM Wes Goldberg @wcgoldbergI’d imagine the Westbrook buyout could have an impact on Miami’s ability to trade Lowry. Teams that could be interested, like the Clippers, have leverage in negotiations. “Well, if you don’t give us Lowry for what we want, we’ll just sign Russ.” – 8:20 PM Bobby Manning @RealBobManning#Lakers did well. Thought they should’ve done the Hield, Turner trade and been done with it. They stayed patient and got more by giving up less.The maddening Westbrook era in LA is over. We’ll see where he ends up. Doubt Utah keeps him.The cost of waiting — 25-30 start. – 8:18 PM Ira Winderman @IraHeatBeatD’Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley and Jarred Vanderbilt a heck of a get for Lakers, who suddenly have the type of quality depth (almost) that they had before the Westbrook trade with Wizards. – 8:15 PM Shams Charania @ShamsCharaniaLakers, Jazz and Timberwolves are finalizing trade sending D’Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley and Jarred Vanderbilt to Los Angeles, Russell Westbrook and first-round pick to Utah and Mike Conley Jr. and second-round pick compensation to Minnesota, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. – 8:12 PM Adrian Wojnarowski @wojespnESPN Sources: The Lakers are finalizing deal to land Minnesota’s D’Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley and Jarred Vanderbilt in trade including Mike Conley and picks to Timberwolves and Russell Westbrook and a lightly protected 2027 LA first-round pick to Jazz. – 8:12 PM Bobby Marks @BobbyMarks42Trade Guide: LakersOne approach that should not be dismissed is the Lakers taking the Westbrook expiring contract and targeting players with contracts that extend past this season.Under contract > cap space – 5:38 PM John Hollinger @johnhollingerOn a more serious note, appears Jazz would have to include at least two players besides Conley ($22.6M) in order to take back Westbrook’s $47M – 5:33 PM Sam Quinn @SamQuinnCBSThe ideal Russell Westbrook buyout destination would have…– Great shooting to maximize his drives.– A coach with the cache to get him to buy into a smaller role (10-15 mins).– Deep defensive roster since he doesn’t really guard anyone.To me, that sounds like the Clippers. – 4:02 PM Andy Larsen @andyblarsenI know he’ll almost certainly be bought out, but it would be funny if Russell Westbrook broke the Jazz’s triple-double drought. – 4:02 PM Shams Charania @ShamsCharaniaThe Lakers, Jazz and Timberwolves are in discussions on a three-team deal that would send D’Angelo Russell to the Lakers, Russell Westbrook and draft compensation such as a first-round pick to Utah and Mike Conley Jr. to Minnesota, sources tell me and @Tony Jones. – 3:45 PM Adrian Wojnarowski @wojespnESPN Sources: Lakers G Russell Westbrook and coach Darvin Ham had a brief, heated verbal exchange in the halftime locker room on Tuesday vs. OKC. Ham expressed frustration with how Westbrook lingered on the playing floor after getting subbed out of game late in second quarter. – 12:55 PM Clemente Almanza @CAlmanza1007FINAL: Thunder 133, Lakers 130SGA – 30 points, 8 assistsJDub – 25 pointsGiddey – 20 pointsJWill – 14 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assistsLeBron – 38 pointsWestbrook – 27 points, 8 assistsOKC is now 26-28 – 12:47 AM Kyle Goon @kylegoonFINAL: Thunder 133, Lakers 130.Aside from the record, you wonder if we’ve seen the final game for Russell Westbrook in a Lakers’ uniform. He had 27 points, 8 assists, was 10 for 19 and 6 turnovers. – 12:47 AM Michael Pina @MichaelVPinaplayers with more points than anthony davis in this game: lebron james, russell westbrook, shai gilgeous-alexander, rui hachimura, jalen williams, jaylin williams, isaiah joe, mike muscala, and josh giddey, – 12:33 AM Clemente Almanza @CAlmanza1007End of 3Q: Thunder 104, Lakers 99SGA – 27 points, 6 assistsGiddey – 16 points, 5 assistsJDub – 17 pointsJWill – 12 points, 5 assists, 7 reboundsLeBron – 36 pointsWestbrook – 13 points, 7 assists – 12:08 AM Clemente Almanza @CAlmanza1007HALF: Thunder 76, Lakers 66SGA – 19 points, 5 assistsJDub – 15 pointsMuscala – 14 pointsLeBron – 20 pointsWestbrook – 11 points – 11:16 PM Jovan Buha @jovanbuhaHalftime: Thunder 76, Lakers 66LeBron James has 20 points — he’s 16 away from the all-time record. The Lakers find themselves down by double-digits, though, as OKC shot 59.1% overall and 63.2% on 3s (12-19). Russell Westbrook has 11 points. Anthony Davis has 7 points. – 11:15 PM Harrison Wind @HarrisonWindI think Nikola Jokic recorded the 4th fastest triple-double in NBA history tonight. He already has the fastest ever:1. Nikola Jokic – 14:33 (2018)2. Jim Tucker – 17 minutes (1955)3. Russell Westbrook – 17:35 (2016)4. Nikola Jokic ∼ 18 minutes (tonight) – 10:36 PM Mike Trudell @LakersReporterOKC is 5 for 8 from 3, hanging right there with the Lakers, who are 4 for 7 after Westbrook and Walker IV hit B2B triples.LAL’s lead is 25-23. – 10:33 PM Micah Adams @MicahAdams13“LeBron with the last 8 points for the Lakers, he’s feeling it.Westbrook… for 3!Miss and the Thunder come away.”It’s so perfect. – 10:33 PM Kyle Goon @kylegoonLeBron checks out at the 4 minute mark after scoring 8 in his first stint. That last play was an off-target pass in transition from Westbrook. – 10:32 PM Barbara Barker @meanbarbCam Thomas scored 43 points tonight, his 3rd straight game with at least 43 points. He becomes, at age 21, the youngest player to do it. Others to do it: MJ, Kobe, Durant, Lillard, Giannis, Westbrook, Moses Malone, Bob Love, Devin Booker, Elgin Baylor, Rick Barry and Wilt. – 10:13 PM Mike Vorkunov @MikeVorkunovCam Thomas scored 43 points tonight, his 3rd straight game with at least 43 points. The other players to ever do that in NBA history:Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Durant, Westbrook, Lillard, Harden, Moses Malone, Bob Love, Devin Booker, Elgin Baylor, Rick Barry, Giannis and Wilt – 10:13 PM Mike Vorkunov @MikeVorkunovCam Thomas scored 43 points tonight, his 3rd straight game with at least 43 points. The other players to ever do that in NBA history:Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Durant, Westbrook, Lillard, Harden, Moses Malone, Bob Love, Devin Booker, Elgin Baylor, Rick Barry, Giannis and Wilt – 10:10 PM More on this storyline