NBA: Lakers deal Russell Westbrook, land D’Angelo Russell
Russell Westbrook #0 of the Los Angeles Lakers has a few words for the fans during the game against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on February 02, 2023 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Andy Lyons/Getty Images/AFP
The Lakers, Jazz and Minnesota Timberwolves are finalizing a deal that would send Russell Westbrook to Utah and D’Angelo Russell to Los Angeles, ESPN and The Athletic reported Wednesday night.
Malik Beasley and Jarred Vanderbilt also will be headed to the Lakers, while the Jazz also will receive a top-four-protected 2027 first-round pick plus Juan Toscano-Anderson and Damian Jones from Los Angeles, per the reports.
Minnesota will acquire Mike Conley Jr. and Nickeil Alexander-Walker from Utah and will receive second-round draft-pick compensation as part of the deal.
Per The Athletic, the Timberwolves will get additional second-round draft picks, too.
The NBA trade deadline is Thursday.
Westbrook, 34, has been ineffective since coming to the Lakers ahead of the 2021-22 season. He’s started just three of 52 games this season and is averaging 15.9 points per game. He reportedly had a heated verbal exchange with coach Darvin Ham after Tuesday’s game, during which LeBron James broke the all-time scoring mark.
FILE – D’Angelo Russell #0 of the Minnesota Timberwolves walks backcourt prior to a game against the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum on December 30, 2022 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Stacy Revere/Getty Images/AFP
Russell will be returning to the Lakers, who drafted him No. 2 overall in 2015 before trading him to Brooklyn in June 2017 for Kyle Kuzma and Brook Lopez.
Russell, 26, was in his fourth season in Minnesota. The 2018-19 All-Star is averaging 17.9 points and 6.2 assists per game in 54 starts this season. His points production has decreased every season in Minnesota since averaging 21.7 for the Timberwolves in 12 games in 2019-20. He is a career 17.7-point scorer for four teams.
Conley, 35, is in his 16th NBA season and fourth in Utah. He’s averaging 10.7 points and 7.7 assists per game in 43 games (42 starts) this season. He spent his first 12 seasons in Memphis and averages 14.7 points per game for his career.
Vanderbilt, 23, was in his first season with Utah after parts of three with the Timberwolves. He is averaging 8.3 points, 7.9 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 52 games (41 starts) this season.
Beasley, 26, served as a vital bench piece for the Jazz, averaging 13.4 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 55 games (13 starts). He too was in his first season in Utah after spending parts of three with Minnesota.
Alexander-Walker, 24, gave the Jazz 6.3 points and 2.1 assists per contest in 36 games (three starts) this season. For his career, he has averages of 8.7 points, 2.4 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 194 games (38 starts).
Toscano-Anderson, 29, earned a championship ring as a little-used reserve with the Golden State Warriors last season. He is a little-used reserve for the Lakers this season, averaging 2.7 points and two rebounds in 30 games (seven starts).
Jones, 27, also was a minor factor for the Lakers this season, averaging 2.5 points and 2.5 rebounds in 22 games (one start). He is headed to a fifth team in his seven NBA seasons.
