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The LA Lakers will be patient regarding potential trade scenarios involving Russell Westbrook with training camp drawing closer and closer. LA is still holding out hope that the former MVP could have a big bounce-back season.
Meanwhile, Dennis Schroder covered all bases before eventually deciding to reunite with LeBron James in Hollywood. The German point guard’s agent talked to several teams, giving the NBA journeyman every possible scenario before committing to the Lakers.
The purple and gold franchise was reportedly looking at the possibility of bringing in Terry Rozier and Bojan Bogdanovic in a four-team trade. It was rumored to be a possibility before the Donovan Mitchell trade happened and before Schroder re-signed with the Lakers.
Here are the latest rumors involving the LA Lakers as of Sept. 19, 2022:
LA Lakers giving Russell Westbrook every chance to succeed before trading him
With training camp fast approaching, the LA Lakers have reportedly kept their foot off the gas pedal in trading Russell Westbrook. Even with the recent signings of Patrick Beverley and Dennis Schroder, LA is rumored to be willing to give the former MVP every chance to succeed.
AJ Ellis of SpursTalk had a report on this scenario:
“According to a Western Conference scout, the Lakers are telling teams that they will take a wait-and-see approach to trade Westbrook as training camp approaches.
“If the Lakers decide to trade Westbrook at some point down the line, the Spurs remain one of the few teams in the league open to such a deal.”
Besides not having a trade that catapults them to undeniable elite contender status, the Lakers believe Darvin Ham could do wonders for Westbrook’s career. The new head coach has been upfront with Russ about everything and still considers him an elite player.
The LA Lakers are willing to roll the dice with Ham being the Westbrook whisperer. But, how long “Brodie” stays in Hollywood if the team gets off a slow start will be worth watching.
Dennis Schroder preferred the LA Lakers over other interested teams
Despite sending out feelers to the LA Lakers as a free agent, Dennis Schroder studied every possible option in his free agency. In a report from BasketNews, the German international revealed that his agent did all the due diligence work for the point guard:
“My agent worked all the time, negotiated, talked to all NBA clubs. He was doing his job, and I was doing my job on the court in Cologne and Berlin [in EuroBasket competition].”
It was a seemingly tepid market for the NBA journeyman before he turned heads while playing for Germany in Europe. Schroder’s playmaking and leadership shone through, particularly in their riveting win against Giannis Antetokoumpo and Greece.
Before Schroder led the Germans to the bronze medal at the Eurobasket, there were already several NBA teams who wanted to acquire his services. However, the allure of playing in Hollywood with LeBron James once again may have been too great an opportunity to pass up.
Schroder now joins a crowded backcourt that has Patrick Beverley, Russell Westbrook and Kendrick Nunn. Reports have recently surfaced that he could be the LA Lakers’ backup point guard if Westbrook is given a starting berth.
Schroder, who played for the Boston Celtics and Houston Rockets last season, has flourished in years past as the first player off the bench. He could reprise that role with the Lakers next season.
The Lakers were looking to acquire Terry Rozier and Bojan Bogdanovic in a four-team trade
Before the Dennis Schroder deal was finalized, the LA Lakers were reportedly working to bring Terry Rozier and Bojan Bogdanovic to Tinseltown. The teams who were supposedly involved in the deal were the New York Knicks, Charlotte Hornets and the Utah Jazz.
The Athletic’s Jovan Buha and Sam Amick wrote a piece on that possibility before the trade market changed after Donovan Mitchell moved to Cleveland.
Russell Westbrook could only be the biggest reason why both names could have been traded to the LA Lakers. Bogdanovic would have been invaluable to a team that sorely lacks shooting and could still leave Utah this offseason with the Jazz entering a rebuild.
Rozier, on the other hand, is a dynamic scorer and facilitator who could also play off the ball.
He was an intriguing piece as he has proven to be a reliable scorer for the Hornets alongside a ball-dominant point guard in LaMelo Ball. On paper, Rozier would have had no issues playing alongside LeBron James.
The LA Lakers were rumored to be adamant about keeping one of their two future first-round picks unless a trade vaults them to elite contender status. Getting Bogdanovic and Rozier would have greatly helped, but GM Rob Pelinka may have felt the two coveted picks were too much to include.
