You can’t blame the Lakers for trying but it’s no surprise the Pacers weren’t interested in the questionable Russell Westbrook trade package they offered.
The Los Angeles Lakers have been signaling their willingness to keep Russell Westbrook into next season but that may be, in part, because they have precious few options for moving him. Westbrook’s on-court struggles last season and his massive contract are profound barriers to trading him and the Lakers don’t have many other assets to include to sweeten the deal.
Case in point, the recent offer NBA trade rumors have them making to the Indiana Pacers.
What do NBA trade rumors say the Lakers offered the Pacers to take Russell Westbrook?
According to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony, on a recent episode of The Lowe Post podcast, the Lakers offered Westbrook, Talen Horton-Tucker and a future first-round pick to the Pacers for Malcolm Brogdon. Unsurprisingly, they didn’t get much traction.
Because the Lakers have already traded so many future picks, 2026 is the earliest first-round they could offer Indiana. Horton-Tucker was once a coveted asset but the 21-year-old wing, who say career-high minutes last season, saw his points, rebounds and assists per minute all drop, while shooting 41.6 percent from the field and 26.9 percent from beyond the arc. Whatever value he might once have had has largely evaporated.
The Pacers seem open to trading Brogdon but are likely hoping for a first-round pick that will convey much sooner and they should be able to get that without having to take back Westbrook and his $47 million salary for next season.
The Lakers are supposed to have a standing offer from the Rockets to swap Westbrook for John Wall and, looking at the landscape around the league, it’s hard to imagine them finding another deal. The Pacers, meanwhile, have been linked in trade scenarios with both the Kings and Trail Blazers that could potentially give them another pick in this year’s draft.