4:30p.m.: The Lakers and Jazz have the structure of a trade in place, but the deal will depend on what the Wolves get in return for Russell, particularly in terms of draft assets, sources tell Wojnarowski (Twitter link), who adds that Minnesota has discussed Russell with other teams as well.
2:49pm: The Lakers, Jazz, and Timberwolves are engaging in discussions on a potential three-team trade that would send Mike Conley to Minnesota, D’Angelo Russell to Los Angeles, and Russell Westbrook and draft compensation (including a first-round pick) to Utah, according to Shams Charania and Tony Jones of The Athletic (Twitter link).
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski first reported during an appearance on NBA Today (Twitter video link) that the Lakers were talking to Minnesota about Russell and says the Wolves would also receive some draft compensation in the deal if it’s finalized (Twitter link).
According to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link), Jazz swingman Malik Beasley and Jazz forward Jarred Vanderbilt have been included in versions of the proposed trade. Charania confirms as much, tweeting that those two players would end up with the Lakers.
The three teams continue to negotiate and are working through draft picks and pick protections, sources tell The Athletic. Wojnarowski cautions that the Jazz remain involved in other trade discussions involving Conley, so it’s not a sure thing that this three-team swap will be completed.
Veteran point guards Conley, Russell, and Westbrook have all been the subject of trade rumors for much of the 2022/23 season. Russell and Westbrook are on expiring contracts and haven’t engaged in serious extension talks to remain with their current teams beyond this year; Conley has a partially guaranteed contract for next season, but may not have a place in the rebuilding Jazz’s future.
The Lakers have explored possible Westbrook trades since last offseason, but have thus far been unwilling to include the kind of draft capital it would take to move off his $47MM+ cap hit and acquire multiple reliable rotation players in return.
Due to restrictions affecting earlier picks, L.A. can only currently trade its first-rounders for 2027 and 2029. It’s unclear whether the team would give up both of those picks in this proposed deal, but it’s safe to assume at least one would be included, since the trade would provide the Lakers with two strong outside shooters in Russell and Beasley, along with a versatile wing and frontcourt defender in Vanderbilt, addressing two of the club’s biggest needs.
Russell, of course, is a former Laker, having been selected second overall by the franchise in the 2015 draft.
The Timberwolves, meanwhile, may view Conley as a better fit in their backcourt alongside rising star Anthony Edwards than Russell has been. Conley also had success playing with Rudy Gobert in Utah and could potentially help make the big man more comfortable in Minnesota.
In addition to the promising on-court fit, having Conley under contract for next season would allow the Wolves to head into the summer without having to worry about negotiating a new contract for their starting point guard, as they would with Russell.
As for the Jazz, they would likely buy out Westbrook if they move forward on this trade, as Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report confirms (via Twitter). The motivation on Utah’s end would be to cash in veterans for future draft picks as the team continues its rebuilding process.
Not sure how this helps the lakers. They need to upgrade Beverly and shroader. If they can pair those 2 and get a legit starter they could make a deep run
Westbrook, walker, reeves, Bryant is as good a bench as there is in the nba
There’s a bunch of teams with better benches than LAL
it’s not even the best nba bench in los angeles
They just got a legit starter, D’Angelo Russell
My trade idea:
Jazz get Westbrook
Wolves get Conley and Clarkson
Lakers get DLO, McDaniel and Rudy Gay
Jazz receive 1 unprotected First and 1 top-20 protected First from Lakers
Jazz receive 3 Seconds from Wolves
No chance wolves give up Mcdaniels! You could maybe put Prince or Nowell in place, but jaden is all but untouchable
Yeah
I don’t understand why a team would want to take on Westbrook’s contract to get probably a late 1st round draft pick. Please explain why that would be good for Utah?
He’s expiring so why not take him on and pocket that 1st, given they’re clearly trying to accumulate draft capital like Ainge did in Boston?
The lakers could be in for a tough rebuild once AD and Lebron are done, the picks they are trading could be extremely valuable depending on the protections. They owe picks every other year and they will probably have to give AD another contract. They won’t have a lot of money or picks to improve the team. The current roster doesn’t seem to have developmental talent. They will be hard pressed to pull off another mega trade/FA signing in 4-5 years.
To get rid of Conley because he has a contract for next year. Wolves is not giving up McDaniels it would be McLaughlin instead.
McDaniels for Clarkson and Conley, lmao.
DLo
Ingram
Lebron
Randle
Zubacs
–
Kuzma
(2019 pick #4) was Hunter (Garland available went 5)
Lonzo Ball
(2020 pick 28) was Jaden McDaniels/ (Des Bane available went 30)
Hart
I’m sure I’m forgetting other valuable players washed aside by ignorance..
but that’s what the roster could look like without Lebron playing GM
if they just had a little bit of patience..
would’ve also had cap room to sign AD
and if lebron never come then they likely get Zion instead in 2019 draft
Only one team needs to sacrifice to make the trade successful
Ainge is new to Jazz, can’t sacrifice
Tim Connelly is new to Wolves, can’t sacrifice
IMO
Lakers are talking about Westbrook sacrificed every week. Lakers need to offer 2 unprotected first round picks to sacrifice.
Is this a good idea?
There has to be more for the Timberwolves… Russell is much better (and younger) than Conley
Lol how is D’Lo much better than Conley?
Conley has much more success than DLO lol
Not sure what Minn gets out of this.
Mike Conley is a much better fit for Min. Exactly what they need tbh. They never should have given up hometown hero Tyus Jones tbh
While Tyus has definitely improved since leaving MN, he’s not the starter the wolves are looking for right now
Seeing how well McLaughlin orchestrates the bench, Conley would be a nice fit in the starting lineup. Two floor generals for a team with a bunch of weapons and a lack of leadership.
Jazz will buy out russ
Awful expensive 1st round draft pick.
They’re spending the money right now anyway, though, on their current roster (because they’d need to match salaries to acquire him, correct?). Buying him out might actually save a few million and net them a pick.
Russ to Mia or LAC after the buyout?
If all the Lakers get is Russell, they’ve automatically lost this trade. He’s barely an upgrade over Westbrook and they’re also giving up draft compensation. Shroeder was playing well earlier, but he’s not good enough to hold down the sixth man spot anymore. The Lakers need shooting, defense, and consistency, and Russell provides one of those at best.
EDIT: Okay, if Vando and Beasley are included, that’s a solid trade. Weak on Minny’s end, though.
Reason why this might look better for the lakers . Shoot close to 50%. 39% from 3 over 80% from the ft and avg one steal a game . So tell me what stats makes Westbrook better at this time
Is Pelinka a moron? Lakers got rid of D’Angelo. We are gonna give up a pick to reacquire this guy?
Magic got rid of dlo not necessarily the lakers
What the Lakers needed was a leader at the PG position. So they brought in the transcendent Lonzo Ball and passed over Tatum and Fox in the process
LeBron let it be known the Lakers need to do something. Now Pelinka is doing something. The Lakers got to stop listening to LeBron!
I think the Lakers simply getting rid of Westbrook goes a long way to removing the club’s primary tumor. But I’m pretty sure Russell isn’t going to help them much more. Still a toxic mess with or without Russ.
I’m not sure why people think the Lakers are toxic, tbh. They started the season 2-10, sure, but since then they’ve been 23-20, which is solid. Yeah, they have holes, but basically every problem they’ve had has been on the court or health-related. And even the Russ outburst seems to have been overblown.
Their primary tumor is LeBron
bad take
Right now he is correct. LeBron is a great player but a lousy GM. Every place he has gone he destroys the team by forcing the GM to make ill advised trades. Then he is upset when they do not work out & leaves the team. They are then stuck with a bunch of complimentary players that are usually over the hill. This deal is like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. The Laker’s would be better off blowing it up & starting over with picks & kids.
“Every place he has gone he destroys the team”
Um, he won two championships in four years with the Heat. He appeared in eight straight NBA Finals. He’s won in Miami, the second time he was in Cleveland, and in Los Angeles. This is a bad take with recency bias.
LAL make great deals, at least in the media.
I don’t really like DiLo or Beasley, and JV is just decent, but to get all 3 for RW and a FRP would be a great deal for them. Balances the priorities, of winning this season and a path to cap space for a FA signing in the offseason. They would have to let DiLo and Beasley go at the end of the year to have cap space, but I could justify the loss of the FRP for renting both guys and having JV for another year.
with those 3 guys Jazz just get a 1st draft pick and a buy out MVP..?
Seems light, and maybe too LAL friendly. But UTH does get off Conley’s deal next year, which LAL were not going to take on.
The issue with your theory however is that Beasley isn’t a FA until 2024
Beasley has a $16M team option so if Pelinka keeps Vando’s $5M contract Lakers won’t have a ton of cap space … So as DXC said it’s basically a 1st draft pick for Vando and 2 rental players for a play-in spot reach
Why would the Wolves give up their red hot PG for an aging, ineffective Mike Conley? This deal makes no sense.
It will be a huge win for Lakers and Wolves. Russell will be the best shooter for the Lakers, and Conley will be the veteran presence Wolves desperately need. Russell was too much drama with expiring contract and change of scenery will be good for him.
Dlo is the shooter lakers need . I like russ but he lost a something and it shows . It time to move on and try to improve
I would do the deal because the risk is low, and they would only have JV after this year(russell FA/Beasley – CO) and he could be easily traded if they tried to turn their cap space until an impact player.
DL0? Mike conley? I need some sexier trades. Come on, league.
Danny ainge just milking the clock so Lakers get stuck with Westbrook and lose the opportunity to get something in return and just lose Russ for nothing next season,Without cap space either way better make a trade so you
can use any assets next year. Danny ainge is trash stop dealing with this guy
That wasn’t really my point but sure
Trades like this are hard to gauge the value until all picks and protections are revealed. Even after, we won’t know how good of a trade it was for years. Hopefully, the trade doesn’t make the Lakers too good for when the picks come due. Lol
Vanderbilt would be a really good addition for the Lakers if this happens. He’s the kind of “glue” guy they need.
Smh… DLo has a few good games and they think they have an asset?
Pat Bev and Conley for dLo is a pretty good deal for Minnie
I would love to see pat bev back in minnesota
The Jazz do have a surplus of guards but I’m not sure why they would benefit from this deal.
Idk how this helps MINN. Could they get 1 of the lakers picks or do both go back to UTAH? If they can get maybe Clarkson and the lakers 1st then maybe that could work. But would the jazz want to give up Vanderbilt, Conley, Beasley and clarkson for cap space and 1 first? Highly unlikely. So minn def needs more in this trade imo
If DLo is in their LT plans after this season, what are we thinking he gets contract wise? Is anyone giving him a 4/80 deal or anything higher?
I think Lakers & Jazz just need dLo for this trade cause Lakers don’t want to keep Conley partially garanteed contract for next year … Minnie has to give something in return to Utah also so it’s not a done deal yet
Can we see this deal getting done without Minnesota if they can’t agree on draft comp? Send Conley to the Lakers?
Must be some next year cap space problem for the Lakers for prefering dLo… Clipps or maybe Heat are probably the 2 teams can ruin this deal
Russell is win now player. Bron can bring out best in him. Seems he was just cruising in Minny. Makes the Lakers a playoff team. And it will be fun watching who they play in 1st rd.
Westbrook shouldn’t even report to Utah. “Just buy me out”
Then fun begins. Who wants to sign him. And where died he want to go. I hope he signs with Nets.
does ……. oops.
Scary as a Laker fan , gotta hope both 1 sts aren’t involved
I’d prefer no move the next 24 hrs but something feels like this is gonnna happen
I think most people are ignoring the obvious question in this trade. Why in gods earth is the Utah Jazz agreeing to this three-way trade. There the team getting terrible future draft picks for a terrible player♂️
Because Danny Ainge is a hoarder