Although the NBA regular season has not ended this season, the Lakers' 21-22 season has ended. If you miss the playoffs, there are no surprises in the remaining few games James , Westbrook and Davis will not play. Although the team coach Vogel has not been officially dismissed yet, everyone knows that these are his last few games in charge of Lakers . Due to James' age and contract, the Lakers obviously don't have more time to be frustrated and rested, and they need to determine plans for the new season as soon as possible, and the starting point of all plans is how to properly handle Westbrook's contract. Earlier yesterday, authoritative American media reported that Hornet was very interested in Westbrook. Today, Brad Turner, a reporter from the Los Angeles local media, reported on the details of the potential transaction.
It is reported that there are three main reasons why the Hornets are interested in Westbrook. First of all, Westbrook is the spokesperson of the brand under Hornets owner Michael Jordan , and the two have a good personal relationship. Secondly, although Westbrook has declined significantly from his peak, he can still become the mentor of Hornets' potential new star Lamelo Ball as a triple-double in history for many years. Third, the Hornets need to clear enough cap space before next season to renew Miles Bridges, who demonstrates star potential. Based on these three points, Westbrook is obviously a good choice for the Hornets. According to Brad's report, the Hornets hope that the Lakers can receive the big contract of Hayward , plus Plumley's unsecured contract balance salary. After this operation, the Hornets will have a large salary space before the start of the 22-23 season. In addition to renewing the contract with Bridges, there is also hope to try to introduce other stars in the free market.
According to the analysis of the Los Angeles Times, the possibility of this transaction happening is very high. After all, for the Lakers, sending Westbrook away is a prerequisite for them to regain their combat effectiveness, but the differences between the two teams may occur in specific trade chips. It is reported that the Lakers are likely to request Hornets shooting guard Rozier in this deal. The 26-year-old shooting guard has a contract of 21.49 million next season, which is a slightly premium asset considering his good performance in recent years. If Westbrook joins the Hornets, the backcourt combination of Rozier, Westbrook and Ball will also be slightly bloated. However, it is not yet certain whether the Hornets are willing to give up Rozier in order to make up their salary space.
However, if the Lakers can really get Hayward and Rozier in this trade, then their strength in the new season cannot be underestimated. Rozier is a defender who is more suitable for the James and the Brow combination than Westbrook. He not only has excellent ball-holding and organizing skills, but also has the ability to score big hearts. Although Hayward has poor attendance rates in recent years, he is generally a good wing, and his characteristics of being good at clubs without the ball allow him to perfectly integrate into the Lakers system. However, the addition of these two players will undoubtedly put the Lakers under heavier salary pressure. Whether Jenny Bass is willing to pay more for the championship has become the key to this deal. Do fans think the Lakers should do this deal? Welcome to discuss and communicate in the comment area!
