Since they traded for Russell Westbrook two summers ago, the Los Angeles Lakers have lived in a netherworld of endless ridicule and mediocre play.
Although Westbrook played better for a spell earlier this season after being moved to the bench, his athletic decline and awkward fit stuck out like sore thumbs, and many felt the team was being held down by his mere presence.
General manager Rob Pelinka has been subjected to a boatload of criticism, not just for acquiring a bad fit such as Westbrook, but for also wasting assets such as Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and the team’s 2021 first-round draft pick, all of which were jettisoned to get the guard.
But Los Angeles took a big step back toward respectability on Wednesday by dealing Westbrook and a lottery-protected 2027 first-round pick for D’Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley and Jarred Vanderbilt in a three-team trade on Wednesday.
While this trade may not make the team championship contenders, at least not yet, it was pretty much a slam dunk for it and its beleaguered executive.
The Lakers scored a major win with this move for several reasons.
Russell is a clear upgrade over Westbrook
By going from a man with the first name of Russell to one whose last name is Russell, the Lakers instantly fortified the point guard position on their roster.
Westbrook is still a viable player, but his inability to consistently hit shots outside the paint allowed opposing teams to load up on LeBron James and Anthony Davis whenever they had the ball.
In addition, his tendency to sometimes miss layups he should’ve converted and commit careless turnovers drove Lakers fans mad.
During his first stint with the Lakers, Russell had a lot of work to do, but he appears to be a better version of what he was from 2015 to 2017.
He is shooting 39.1% from 3-point range this season. Better yet, he is attempting 7 shots a game from that distance. It will suddenly be a lot harder to corral James and Davis without the threat of giving up an open shot.
Russell is also a legitimate scoring threat who is averaging 17.9 points a game this year. He is also a legitimate playmaker, as shown by his 6.2 assists a contest. Unlike Westbrook, he commits just 3 turnovers per 36 minutes.
The now-former Lakers guard is averaging 4.4 turnovers per 36 minutes this year.
Russell can take the playmaking load, as well as some of the scoring load, off James, but without the thorns that come with the Westbrook experience.
His shooting percentages have fluctuated from season to season, but if he keeps up the type of efficiency he has displayed so far this year, the Lakers may have solved their point guard problems.
Beasley gives the Lakers another shooter
Through 55 games, the Lakers rank 26th in 3-point shooting percentage, but help is on the way.
Not only is Russell shooting the 3-ball well this season, but they’re also getting Beasley, who can flat-out shoot from the perimeter.
To be fair, his shooting efficiency has been inconsistent throughout his seven-year NBA career. Although he’s a career 38% 3-point shooter, he’s down to 35.9% in that department this year, and he’s been worse than that over the past several weeks.
But his ability to hit treys is clear, and he will get much better looks with the Lakers than he ever got with the Utah Jazz or Minnesota Timberwolves.
Beasley shot above 38% from downtown in three consecutive seasons, and like Russell, he’s a high-volume 3-point shooter. He’s averaging 8.6 such attempts per contest this year.
The Lakers may not become one of the NBA’s best 3-point shooting teams, but the days of them being terrible in that department may be over.
Vanderbilt will give the Lakers an outstanding role player
At first glance, a casual fan may think Vanderbilt was simply a throw-in, but he has the potential to make a noticeable impact for L.A.
At 6-foot-8 and 214 pounds, he is a very energetic power forward who can play some small-ball center, and he has an outstanding motor.
Vanderbilt is averaging 7.9 rebounds in 24.1 minutes a game this season. Defensive rebounding is something the Lakers have struggled with dating to last season, and he will help in that area.
But he is also an energetic defender who can rotate over to double-team and trap opponents and quickly recover to make plays, including blocked shots and steals. He also appears to have good anticipation on the defensive end.
Offensively, he will take what he can get by moving to the basket, receiving passes and finishing around the hoop. He is a legitimate lob threat, as well as a good lane runner and finisher on the fast break.
Vanderbilt appears to be an enhanced version of Wenyen Gabriel, who earned playing time last season thanks to his energy and effort but lacks strength and explosiveness.
The Lakers are suddenly young and deep
Last season, the Lakers trotted out one of the oldest rosters anyone could ever remember seeing, and many of their older players were simply past their expiration date.
But by swapping the 34-year-old Westbrook for three players who are no older than 26, they’re now a rather young team, not to mention speedier and more athletic. Only James and Patrick Beverley are over the age of 30.
Depth was a problem for L.A. last season and for much of this season, especially in the frontcourt. The Rui Hachimura trade helped in that area somewhat, but Wednesday’s trade made an even bigger difference.
The Lakers could possibly be 11 deep if one includes rookie Max Christie, whose playing time has been inconsistent despite some nice production. If one includes forward Troy Brown Jr., whose play has seemed largely mediocre, they will have 12 useful players.
Head coach Darvin Ham will have a problem when it comes to sorting out his rotation, but that is a very good problem to have.
The Lakers have recouped some assets
After the Westbrook trade, the cupboard seemed bare for L.A., as it was forced to spend two straight offseasons filling out its roster mostly with players who were making the veteran’s minimum salary.
But they not only have depth now, but they also have some mid-sized contracts that could be tradable in the near future.
Russell will be a free agent this summer, but if he’s signed to a reasonable contract, he could be moved later on if he doesn’t work out. Beasley has a team option next year at about $16.5 million, giving the Lakers the same option as far as he is concerned.
There has been a lot of talk about what they may do this summer as far as clearing cap space and who they may try to sign in free agency. But now, there may be a pathway for them to keep Russell, Beasley and Hachimura in the fold while still having the salary cap resources to retain players such as Thomas Bryant and Austin Reaves.
In addition, they still have the expiring contracts of Beverley ($13 million) and Lonnie Walker IV ($6.48 million) along with their 2029 first-round pick to dangle in the waning hours before Thursday’s 3 p.m. Eastern time trade deadline.
Could another move be coming before then?
It may not be a new day in Lakersland, but the forecast has grown much sunnier.
