The trade deadline has been a chaotic and busy one until now. Many players were moved on the last day and Russell Westbrook was one of them. His trade was a surprise to many, mainly because Russ’s name has always been involved in the rumors but he always stayed with the LA Lakers. However, the Lakers made sure to find a suitable trade package to let Westbrook go. The deal involved three teams, including the Minnesota Timberwolves as well.
FULL TRADE DETAILS:
Lakers
– D’Angelo Russell
– Malik Beasley
– Jarred VanderbiltUtah
– Russell Westbrook
– Juan Toscano-Anderson
– Damian Jones
– First-Round PickMinnesota
– Mike Conley
– Nickeil Alexander-Walker
– 3 Second-Round Picks(via @wojespn) pic.twitter.com/JjfoXKMiom
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) February 9, 2023
The Lakers received D’Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley, and Jarred Vanderbilt and sent Russ, Juan Toscano-Anderson, Damian Jones, and a first-round pick to the Jazz. The T-Wolves managed to get hold of 3 second-round picks, along with Mike Conley and Nickeil Alexander-Walker. The trade was beneficial for the Lakers, as they got to address their defensive weaknesses and the lack of versatile players. Many believed that Russ would be a good fit in Utah, many but not the player, however.
Will Russell Westbrook join the Los Angeles Clippers?
Just hours after reports of his trade to the Jazz emerged, sources claimed Russ could be on the move again. The main reason for this would be the reports of the Jazz franchise buying out Russ. This means he could join another team soon. If Russ is bought out, it unlocks plenty of trade possibilities. But it certainly looks like the former Lakers star has his sights on one destination; the Los Angeles Clippers.
If bought out by the Jazz, Russell Westbrook would have interest in joining the Clippers or the Heat, per @LawMurrayTheNU pic.twitter.com/WXD0VA50Qy
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) February 9, 2023
Russell Westbrook is currently on a $47,063,478 contract for the 2022-23 NBA season. This will be a major hit to his move to the Clippers. The reason for this is that they do not have the cap space to sign Russ. However, if they waive one of their players or wait till the summer to offload a player to free up cap space, Russ could join the Clippers. It would be a good move for the team since Paul George has already played with Russ in the past at OKC as well.