Los Angeles Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers have made all of the efforts to publicly back Russell Westbrook this offseason, but it's hard to ignore that a change of scenery would probably be best for both the player and organization.

And one team that might actually be a fit for Westbrook at this stage of his career is the Miami Heat.

"It makes sense," an Eastern Conference executive told Fox Sports' Ric Bucher. "Miami believes they can rehabilitate anyone."

Bucher wrote that "team executives and scouts could only come up with one potential landing spot" for Westbrook, and it was the Heat. He noted team president Pat Riley "has a history of cultivating fiery competitive players, from Alonzo Mourning to Brian Grant to Jimmy Butler."

But the same stylistic clashes Westbrook has faced with Los Angeles would be present with Miami.

Butler and Bam Adebayo spend a fair amount of time on the ball, much like LeBron James. Westbrook has traditionally been a ball-dominant point guard and offers little off the ball given his woeful perimeter shooting (29.8 percent from three last season, 30.5 percent in his career).

Miami also loves to bang on about its culture of hard work and defensive engagement. Westbrook's effort has never been called into question, at least on the offensive side of the ball, but his defensive intensity could be described as wavering.

And what would a trade even look like? The Heat could deal Kyle Lowry and Duncan Robinson to make the money work, but surely they'd want more than just Westbrook in return unless they've stopped believing in both players. (Robinson play just 12.2 minutes per game in the playoffs last season, so it's feasible the Heat would be comfortable moving on from him.)

And while the 36-year-old Lowry has struggled with injuries in recent years, his defensive willingness and ability to play off the ball (37.7 percent from three last season, 36.8 in his career) make him a much more natural fit with the Heat.

Plus, even if Miami believes it could get the most out of Westbrook, he would still have to acknowledge that his style needs to change so he can best fit on a contending team.

"It is not what he has left, it is how he will accept that he is not the player that he was," an Eastern Conference scout told Bucher. "It's similar to Carmelo [Anthony]. I'm not sure Russ has the awareness to accept a lesser role."

Something has to give. If Westbrook stays with Los Angeles, his best role may be coming off the bench, as the newly acquired Patrick Beverley is a more natural fit at guard alongside James and Anthony Davis.

"It's hard to see him as anything but a backup for the Lakers," a Western Conference scout told Bucher. "It's hard for him to play with [Davis] and LeBron. It might be OK if they let him go with the second unit. He has to play the only way he knows how unless he can miraculously learn to shoot."

Westbrook, however, has already bristled at such a role.

A change of scenery might afford him the opportunity to keep the role he's played throughout his career. But it's hard to find a landing spot for him with that in mind. The Heat certainly don't feel like a natural match, however much they might believe in the transformative powers of their oft-discussed culture.

Los Angeles Lakers first-year head coach Darvin Ham knows the front office could still be seeking ways to improve the roster, but he's already satisfied with the current group.

Ham told reporters they would have to direct questions about the roster to Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka, but added he's "absolutely" happy with what they have heading into the 2022-23 season.

Ham was speaking at an introductory press conference for point guard Patrick Beverley, who was acquired in a trade with the Utah Jazz last month.

Last Friday, there were indications that Los Angeles wasn't done making moves. Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today reported that the Lakers have "some interest" in trading for Jazz veterans Mike Conley, Jordan Clarkson and Bojan Bogdanovic. Mike Singer of the Denver Post added that "numerous" sources said the same thing:

Have checked with numerous people today re. who might be interested in Jazz vets, and one team has come up multiple times: the Lakers. https://t.co/Wa1z7psTr4

— Mike Singer (@msinger) September 2, 2022

There has also been speculation that Lakers star point guard Russell Westbrook could be on the move soon. The Athletic's Jovan Buha reported that the acquisition of Beverley "makes it more likely that Westbrook will be off the active roster by the start of training camp, either through a trade or the team sending him home a la the Rockets with John Wall last season."

Beverley and Ham both addressed Westbrook on Tuesday. The defensive specialist said he's "super excited" to be playing with the former NBA MVP despite their rivalry with one another.

Ham added that he expects Westbrook to be a part of the roster as they chase an NBA title, saying, "I want to help him get that championship ring. … I love him and I can't wait to coach him."

While Ham may be satisfied with the roster, it remains to be seen if the front office feels the same way as they try to bounce back from last season's disappointing finish.

The Los Angeles Lakers are interested in three Utah Jazz veterans who could be available for trade ahead of the 2022-23 season.

L.A. has "some interest" in Mike Conley, Jordan Clarkson and Bojan Bogdanovic, according to Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today. However, the Purple and Gold "also want to preserve cap space for next summer and aren't that interested in taking contracts beyond 2022-23," Zillgitt added.

Of the three, Bogdanovic is the only player whose contract is up in 2023.

Mike Singer of the Denver Post added that "numerous" sources said the Lakers might have interest in Utah's veterans.

Have checked with numerous people today re. who might be interested in Jazz vets, and one team has come up multiple times: the Lakers. https://t.co/Wa1z7psTr4

— Mike Singer (@msinger) September 2, 2022

After dealing Rudy Gobert to the Minnesota Timberwolves and Donovan Mitchell to the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Jazz are still looking to offload other veterans in a trade to continue building for the future.

The Lakers could be an interesting trade partner for the Jazz as they are trying to deal veteran point guard Russell Westbrook.

Any deal for Westbrook is expected to have first-round picks attached to it, and ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported last month that the Purple and Gold are willing to attach their 2027 and 2029 first-round picks in "the right deal."

Jazz CEO of basketball operations Danny Ainge has been stockpiling first-round draft picks this offseason, and it's possible he could take on Westbrook's contract in order to add draft capital. He already has 15 first-round draft picks over the next seven drafts.

Conley should be among the most desirable players for the Lakers among Utah's available veterans. The point guard is coming off a solid 2021-22 campaign in which the 34-year-old averaged 13.7 points, 3.0 rebounds and 5.3 assists in 72 games while shooting 43.5 percent from the floor and 40.8 percent from deep.

The Purple and Gold have been searching for perimeter shooting, and he's the type of player who can provide outside scoring.

Clarkson would also provide the Lakers some solid perimeter shooting. The 30-year-old averaged 16.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 79 games last season while shooting 41.9 percent from the floor and 31.8 percent from deep.

However, considering the Lakers don't want to take on a contract that runs past the 2022-23 season, Bogdanovic might be the team's most reasonable option.

The 6'7" forward averaged 18.1 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 69 games last season while shooting 45.5 percent from the floor and 38.7 percent from deep. The 33-year-old has a $19.6 million cap hit for the 2022-23 season.

Clarkson has a player option for the 2023-24 campaign worth $14.3 million, and Conley is under contract through 2023-24.

As rumors continue to swirl about Russell Westbrook's future, the Los Angeles Lakers aren't necessarily looking to rush a trade involving the former NBA MVP.

Per Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times, the Lakers "are comfortable" going into training camp with Westbrook because the hope is first-year head coach Darvin Ham "can unlock increased intensity on defense while another season with James and Davis makes life easier on offense."

Woike also noted the Utah Jazz's decision to trade Donovan Mitchell to the Cleveland Cavaliers could impact how the Lakers handle things with Westbrook.

"Either the Lakers up their offers in pursuit of a trade centered on Myles Turner and (Buddy) Hield in Indiana or they turn their sights back to the Jazz to try and pick the bones of a former contender thrust into a rebuild," Woike wrote.

The Jazz and Lakers aren't afraid to do business with each other. They worked out a deal on Aug. 25 to send Patrick Beverley to Los Angeles in exchange for Talen Horton-Tucker and Stanley Johnson.

A deal with the Pacers involving Westbrook could be more difficult to pull off following the Beverley trade. Michael Scotto of HoopsHype noted Indiana was seeking Horton-Tucker, along with the Lakers' 2027 and 2029 first-round picks, for Turner, Hield and Daniel Theis.

The word coming from Los Angeles this offseason has been positive about what Westbrook can contribute to the team in 2022-23. NBA insider Marc Stein reported this week in his Substack newsletter that Ham has spoken to Westbrook and Beverley about lineups with both of them on the court together.

Lakers governor Jeanie Buss told The Athletic's Sam Amick that Westbrook was their "best player" last season. She later clarified the comment, noting "the word I should have used was ‘consistent,'" to describe his performance.

All of this could just be noise coming from the Lakers in an attempt to convince opposing teams they aren't actively shopping Westbrook. But they might not be looking to make a deal that requires them to give up either of those future picks. Otherwise, the only first-rounders they will own for the rest of the decade are in 2026 and 2028.

Westbrook is owed $47.1 million this season, the final year of his current contract. The nine-time All-Star averaged 18.5 points, 7.4 rebounds and 7.1 assists per game in 78 starts last season.

The Los Angeles Lakers changed their tune on Talen Horton-Tucker when they traded him to the Utah Jazz in a deal for Patrick Beverley.

NBA insider Marc Stein reported Sunday the Lakers "were clearly resistant to the idea" in July. They decided to move Horton-Tucker in part because Kyrie Irving appears all but certain to remain with the Brooklyn Nets. In addition, LeBron James committing to the team for at least the 2023-24 season gave L.A. an incentive to execute a win-now move.

A lot of Lakers fans will probably remember Horton-Tucker mostly for being the player Los Angeles refused to include in a trade for Kyle Lowry.

The Athletic's Jovan Buha and Bill Oram reported in March 2021 the Lakers were prepared to send Dennis Schroder and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to the Toronto Raptors but remained steadfast regarding Horton-Tucker. Negotiations fell through, and Lowry wound up with the Miami Heat in a sign-and-trade.

At the time, one could justify the Lakers' position by arguing Horton-Tucker had shown some promise and was a potentially emergent talent on a roster devoid of much youth. That Beverley was the asset L.A. acquired for the 21-year-old showed how much the situation failed to pan out.

Horton-Tucker became an even worse shooter in 2021-22, hitting just 26.9 percent of his three-pointers. His inability to stretch the floor made him a terrible fit in an off-ball role, and he couldn't play to his strengths as a facilitator and slasher because he was often sharing the floor with Russell Westbrook and/or LeBron James.

Because of his age, it's too early to give up on Horton-Tucker. Assuming the Jazz eventually trade Donovan Mitchell and go into a full rebuild, they could be a great situation for him to rebound.

I think Talen Horton-Tucker has a chance to real impress people in Utah.

He desperately needed the ball in his hands. If the Jazz trade Mitchell he'll get all of the touches he needs. Incredible finisher. Very good athlete. I think he can become a real asset for the Jazz.

— Sam Quinn (@SamQuinnCBS) August 25, 2022

Having said that, I do think Horton-Tucker is an interesting flyer for the Jazz. He'll get to explore his game and try to expand his talents in what will likely be a low-leverage rebuilding situation if they move Mitchell. Think that'll help him. I get this deal on both sides.

— Sam Vecenie (@Sam_Vecenie) August 25, 2022

The Lakers could look foolish if Horton-Tucker thrives in Utah, but it's doubtful any improvement he makes would've happened in L.A. given the organization's priorities.

The optics of this trade aren't great given where THT's value was last summer and around the 2021 trade deadline. But swapping him for an experienced veteran was clearly the best tactic for strengthening the supporting cast around James and Anthony Davis.

LeBron James might be approaching his 20th season in the NBA, but Chris Paul still doesn't think the Los Angeles Lakers star will be losing a step.

"Once you find something that works and you know that getting a little older or whatnot, it doesn't matter, then 'Bron ain't slowing down no time soon," the Phoenix Suns star said on The Old Man & The Three podcast. "So everybody be cool."

“Bron ain’t slowing down no time soon, so everybody be cool.” —Chris Paul

Watch the full conversation around LeBron's longevity from Episode 30 of the show: https://t.co/w96MUhZ7oO pic.twitter.com/snHgZg7yFu

— TheYoungManAndTheThree (@OldManAndThree) August 26, 2022

Given he has indicated a desire to play with his son, Bronny, nobody expects James to retire within the next year or two. Bronny James isn't eligible to make the jump to the NBA until at least 2024.

But LeBron does seem to be finally showing his age.

To Paul's point, the 37-year-old continues to perform at a high level, averaging 30.3 points, 8.2 rebounds and 6.2 assists while shooting 52.4 percent from the field last season.

But his 26 missed games point to how he's no longer capable of shaking off the minor injuries he accumulated earlier in his career. He was out for 27 games in 2020-21 too. Sooner or later, the wear and tear could add up for LeBron.

Despite Paul's insistence, Father Time appears to be catching up with James.

Los Angeles Lakers head coach Darvin Ham is breathing a sigh of relief after LeBron James signed an extension with the team last week.

Speaking to Tomer Azarly of ClutchPoints.com, Ham called James' decision to extend his tenure with the Lakers "huge" for the franchise.

"LeBron is once-in-a-lifetime player," he added. "You only get so many players. Not even so many. You have Bill Russell, you have Wilt Chamberlain, you have Dr. J, you have Moses Malone, you had Larry Bird, Magic [Johnson], you had [Michael] Jordan, you had Allen Iverson, Shaq [O’Neal], Kobe [Bryant], and now it’s LeBron’s time."

James signed a two-year, $97.1 million deal on Aug. 18, keeping him under contract to the Lakers through the 2023-24 season.

There was initially some skepticism that James would give the Lakers a commitment. He became eligible to sign a two-year deal on Aug. 4, but it took two weeks to get a deal done.

James seemed to have a lot of leverage in the situation. Despite being limited to 56 games last season due to injuries, he had the second-highest scoring average of his career (30.3 points per game) and finished second on the Lakers in assists (6.2) and rebounds (8.2).

Even at 37 years old, James remains one of the best players in the league. The Lakers' roster remains in a state of flux, with concerns about Anthony Davis' durability and lingering questions about Russell Westbrook's fit with the team.

Los Angeles general manager Rob Pelinka did boost the team's backcourt on Thursday by acquiring Patrick Beverley from the Utah Jazz for Talen Horton-Tucker and Stanley Johnson.

There's still work for the Lakers to do if they want to be considered among the top teams in the Western Conference. They do have the ability to use their 2027 and 2029 first-round draft picks as a potential sweetener in a Westbrook trade, though there's no indication at this point that anything is on the verge of happening.

The Lakers did win the 2019-20 NBA championship but have otherwise not won a postseason series in four years with James. They have missed the playoffs twice during that span, including last season with a 33-49 record.

Now that the Los Angeles Lakers have acquired a veteran capable of starting at the point in Patrick Beverley, is the team more or less likely to trade Russell Westbrook?

Does LeBron James give a hint on Twitter?

Can't wait for him to go off this season!! 🤫

— LeBron James (@KingJames) August 25, 2022

Wasn't it just a month ago when James and Westbrook sat on opposite ends of the gym at summer league, a very visible dual snubbing?

A lot has changed since mid-July. James signed a maximum extension adding two additional seasons (though he can opt out ahead of 2024-25). A run at Kyrie Irving appears to be a dead end with Kevin Durant and the Brooklyn Nets moving "forward with [their] partnership."

The short answer is, "More." The Lakers have been trying to get out of Westbrook since before last year's trade deadline. At least now, with Beverley, they have a suitable starting point guard to replace him. L.A. can look to deal without needing a ball-handling guard in return.

Per one NBA executive, the Lakers have three remaining "obvious" partners they should pursue to make a Westbrook swap in the Indiana Pacers, San Antonio Spurs or Utah Jazz.

The Lakers are believed to covet Myles Turner from the Pacers, giving the team additional versatility up front with Anthony Davis, Thomas Bryant and Damian Jones. L.A. executive Rob Pelinka used to represent Buddy Hield and was close to acquiring the high-volume shooter last summer.

Per multiple external sources, Indiana isn't eager to part with its veteran players without significant compensation. The Lakers might be willing to give up a first first-rounder in a Westbrook swap, but two may be too much for a deal.

The Pacers' ask may depend on the other two listed teams. The Spurs still have tremendous flexibility under the salary cap, along with veterans Josh Richardson and Doug McDermott. Richardson is on an expiring contract, but McDermott's $13.8 million for 2023-24 isn't appealing to the Lakers.

Los Angeles isn't believed to be interested in moving Westbrook with draft compensation for players that don't move the needle toward a championship. But nearing a deal with the Spurs might prompt the Pacers to lessen their demands, especially if they want to get out of the 2023-24 obligation to Hield at $18.6-$23.3 million (depending on incentives).

Similarly, further conversations between the Lakers and Jazz could spark the Pacers to action. Or perhaps L.A. can find value as a third team in a Utah/Donovan Mitchell blockbuster.

The Lakers might be able to improve their depth with Jazz veterans Malik Beasley, Jordan Clarkson, Bojan Bogdanovic, Mike Conley and/or Rudy Gay. Some are better fits than others; some would be reluctant gets for the Lakers. And if the New York Knicks were the team getting Mitchell, perhaps L.A. would end up with Evan Fournier or Cam Reddish. That's a bit much to speculate on, but there's a reasonable chance Utah will resolve Mitchell's situation before the season.

The price and the return will determine how likely the Lakers are to send off Westbrook in a trade. If that means waiting until the trade deadline, so be it. Interested teams may prefer Westbrook to earn half his $47.1 million contract in Los Angeles. This would reduce a trade partner's financial obligation to Westbrook after an in-season deal.

How Would Cap Space in 2023 Influence a Westbrook Deal?

The Lakers have diligently minded its cap space for the summer of 2023. Getting out of Horton-Tucker's $11 million player option could give the franchise up to $30 million in cap space. That number could rise and fall by the 2023-24 salary cap (currently projected at $133 million), a new collective bargaining agreement, their first-round pick in 2023 (the New Orleans Pelicans have swap rights) and which players they intend to re-sign.

Even if the team managed to get near $35 million in cap space, that's only enough to pay a maximum salary to players with fewer than seven years of experience. If the target is Irving as a free agent, he could earn up to a max of $46.6 million.

Will a team offer Irving that amount? That's a difficult question, but it's certainly a risk for the Lakers, with $17 million below what Irving may expect. Irving is anything but predictable. He's not the only potential free-agent target, but banking on cap space to lure the perfect player next summer may be a fool's errand.

If the Lakers and the Pacers agreed to a deal with Turner and Hield, cap room would no longer be a factor for L.A. McDermott from the Spurs would similarly decimate that flexibility.

But the Lakers should be realistic. If the goal is to win with James with two years fully promised, hoping on a half-baked cap space plan for half of that time is unwise. If there's a move to give the 2022-23 Lakers a chance to improve dramatically, cap room in 2023 shouldn't be an impediment.

In terms of sacrificing future firsts (likely 2027 and 2029), the danger is that James and Davis may be long gone by then. Los Angeles would only have first-rounders every other year. And if the team wanted to acquire its next star player via trade, the Lakers wouldn't have any future firsts available until 2031. That's only a worthwhile sacrifice if, in return, the franchise can take a clear, immediate step forward.

Acquiring Beverley should help the Lakers. He can play behind Westbrook or replace him in the starting group after a trade. Somewhere in that mess of iffy options is a solution that could lead to a Westbrook deal. In the absence, the Lakers and new head coach Darvin Ham will do their best to prove that last year's debacle can be solved in the locker room and on the court.

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Email Eric Pincus at eric.pincus@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @EricPincus.

Russell Westbrook and Patrick Beverley are two alpha personalities who have clashed in the past, but now they will have to co-exist as teammates with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Beverley is being traded from the Utah Jazz to L.A. in exchange for Talen Horton-Tucker and Stanley Johnson.

Despite the bad blood with Westbrook, Wojnarowksi noted that Beverley is "eager to join the Lakers" and was "thrilled to learn of the impending deal."

Both guards have had a war of words through the media over the years. The peak of the feud came in 2019 when Westbrook dismissed Beverley's defensive skills after a game between the Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Clippers.

“Pat Bev trick y’all man, like he play defense. He don’t guard nobody man. He just running around doing nothing. As you seen what happened. 47."

Russell Westbrook on @patbev21 after Harden scored 47 in a win vs the Clippers.

(Via @MarkBermanFox26) pic.twitter.com/H1lsQzK1dW

— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) November 14, 2019

The bitterness between Beverley and Westbrook has continued since 2019.

As Westbrook was going through his on-court struggles amid the Lakers' descent in the Western Conference standings last season, Beverley poked the bear when he sent out this tweet in February:

I remember when somebody said all I do is run around and I trick y’all 😂 well my boy is The Real Magician this year.

— Patrick Beverley (@patbev21) February 10, 2022

After Westbrook dismissed the trash talk from several Minnesota Timberwolves' players following the Lakers' 124-104 loss on March 16, Beverley again chimed in on Twitter:

Playoffs every year. 2 western conference finals with 2 different Teams👀👀👀 individual stats or team stats? I thought it was a team sport?? https://t.co/wlPhFB9alQ

— Patrick Beverley (@patbev21) March 17, 2022

Westbrook certainly isn't the only player who has been on the receiving end of trash talk from Beverley. The 34-year-old has gone after Stephen Curry, Chris Paul and Rudy Gobert, among others.

Following the Phoenix Suns' Game 7 loss to the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference semifinals, Beverley went on ESPN's Get Up and called Paul a "cone" on defense.

Beverley has carried a large chip on his shoulder after having to fight for years to get into the NBA. He was a second-round draft pick in 2009 by the Lakers, who traded his draft rights to the Miami Heat.

After the Heat cut Beverley before the start of the 2009-10 season, he played three years overseas. It wasn't until the Houston Rockets signed him in January 2013 that he was able to stick in the NBA.

Given Westbrook's tenuous status with the Lakers, there's always the chance that these two rivals don't play in a game together.

Since there's no indication at this point that a Westbrook trade is anywhere close to happening, it will be interesting to see if the animosity with Beverley remains if they are on the same team.

The Los Angeles Lakers are expected to acquire point guard Patrick Beverley from the Utah Jazz in exchange for Talen Horton-Tucker and Stanley Johnson, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski on Wednesday night.

Wojnarowski noted the deal is expected to be finalized on Thursday, and he added: "Beverley was eager to join the Lakers in a trade, sources said, and thrilled to learn of the impending deal."

It was a short stay in Utah for Beverley, who arrived in early July as part of the blockbuster deal sending center Rudy Gobert to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The 34-year-old from Chicago is coming off a 2021-22 season with the Wolves in which he averaged 9.2 points, 4.6 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 1.2 steals across 58 appearances.

He graded out positively at both ends of the floor to rank 61st among all NBA players in FiveThirtyEight's WAR metric (5.4).

Beverley told KRIV's Mark Berman getting dealt to the Jazz didn't catch him off guard, as he's become accustomed to changing teams.

"Surprised? No, not in this business. Nah, you can't be surprised," he said. "Understood it. Never personal, always business in this business. We did some great things in Minnesota. We kind of revamped the environment there. We kind of gave the fans something to be happy about."

Beverley, a 2009 second-round pick, started his pro career in Europe before making his NBA debut with the Houston Rockets during the 2012-13 season. After five years with Houston, he spent four with the Los Angeles Clippers and one with the Wolves.

The University of Arkansas product has averaged 8.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.1 steals in 526 career games. He's often been tasked with guarding the opponent's top guard scorer, highlighted by earning NBA All-Defensive First Team honors in 2016-17.

Beverley represents a low-risk addition for the Lakers. He's a consistently reliable defender, which helps offset some offensive slumps for the career 41.4 percent shooter, and he's on an expiring one-year, $13 million contract, so there's no long-term investment.

He should slot in as the chief backup to Russell Westbrook following his move to L.A. The team's backcourt defense should be tremendous when he's on the floor with Austin Reaves.