A heavyweight trade that could save the Los Angeles Lakers this season is coming, and the Lakers posted a first-round draft pick to send Will Shaw back in exchange for the Jazz Conley and Clarkson?
The Lakers, who were mediocre in the offseason, really struggled like last season, starting the new season with two consecutive losses. On the surface, the Lakers' defense seems to be a little better this year, but the team's lack of good 3-point shooters has led to a miserable performance on the offensive end.
Point guard Russell Westbrook has clearly become the biggest reason for the loss, and he shot 0-of-11 from the field against the Clippers, once again setting an embarrassing record and has long been the focus of various trade rumors. It's easy to see why the Lakers want to trade him, as his ball-handling style and inefficient scoring style make it difficult to match LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
According to Utah sports media "KSL Sports" reporter, the Jazz are currently in talks with the Lakers for a trade involving Westbrook. The Jazz intend to trade Mike Conley and Jordan Clarkson for the Lakers' expiring contract of Russell Westbrook and a valuable future draft pick, as follows:
1, Los Angeles Lakers gains: Mike Conley, Jordan Clarkson
2. Utah Jazz win: Russell Westbrook, 2029 first-round pick
There is no doubt that this is a deal that benefits both sides, as both teams take what they need. First, the Lakers will get two good shooters.
As we all know, the Lakers' biggest problem at the moment is the lack of three-point shooting players, and in the two games of the new season, the Lakers set the worst three-point shooting record in NBA history. The deal will help the Lakers acquire two veterans with three-point shooting ability.
Mike Conley is an offensive point guard who can do anything on the offensive end. He has the ability to be the Lakers' starting point guard because he is a good playmaker and good at shooting three-pointers. Currently, he is shooting 38.5 percent from three-point range and averaging 9.5 assists in two games this season. So, he fits the Lakers' roster very well.
Jordan Clarkson could be the sixth man on the Lakers' roster because he could lead the bench to continue winning and become a key scorer on the bench. He and Dennis Schroeder are certainly a solid pair on offense. He is currently averaging 19.5 points per game and shooting 50 percent from three-point range. Playing next to LeBron James and Anthony Davis, he could be more efficient.
Overall, the deal would both get rid of the inefficient Russell Westbrook and boost the Lakers' offensive strength. The Lakers only need to give up a future first-round pick to complete this lucrative trade. For the Lakers, it seems like an easy deal.
Second, the Jazz are currently off to a two-game winning streak, but are likely not to be a playoff-hitting team. The Jazz need to develop young players, and this season is set for next year's hot rookie Victor Wimbayama. Russell Westbrook's expiring contract, on the other hand, reached $47063478. Trading Mike Conley and Jordan Clarkson's multi-year contracts for an expiring contract would clearly benefit the Jazz's rebuild.
The biggest attraction of this deal is the Lakers' 2029 first-round pick, which is a very valuable pick. Because the Lakers are likely to enter a rebuilding in 2029, it may lead to this first-round pick becoming a lottery signing. Overall, getting an expiring contract and a potential lottery pick is good for the Utah Jazz.
It's a win-win deal for both teams, on the one hand, Mike Conley and Jordan Clarkson are able to get into a competitive team. Russell Westbrook, on the other hand, will travel to a new team to get the ball and have a chance to re-shoot a triple-double.
At present, the negotiation of this transaction has entered the formal discussion stage. According to reports, the Lakers have been interested in Mike Conley in the past. It is believed that in the near future, the trade will be officially announced soon.
