“For Russell, I think he's gonna be judged only by one thing, his salary, not by his productivity” – NBA analyst believes Lakers will eventually trade Russell Westbrook, expects 2 Pacers players to join Lakers

Following a lackluster season with the LA Lakers, many expected Russell Westbrook to be moved to a new team this offseason. However, the task of finding a team to take him on has proved to be more difficult than first imagined.

Along with having a down year in 2022, the former All-Star guard is on one of the league's biggest contracts. He is in the final year of his deal, but no front office seems to be willing to go near his $47 million salary.

Another reason why the Lakers haven't found someone to take on Westbrook is because LA is unwilling to attach any assets. They feel he is still a valuable piece and that they shouldn't have to put in draft picks for someone to trade for him.

Recent reports have surfaced that the Indiana Pacers are once again in the mix to acquire the Lakers guard. The Pacers' renewed interest is rumored to be because LA's front office is now putting future unprotected first-round picks on the table.

After hearing this news, Jalen Rose spoke about how he feels LA is getting ready to trade Westbrook on ESPN's "Jalen & Jacoby."

"Well, for Russell, I think he's gonna be judged only by one thing, his salary, not by his productivity," Rose said.

"I don't think he plays for the Lakers the entire season. But what I will say is if the Purple and Gold can add Buddy Hield and Miles Turner, I like that a lot for them, especially at this point of LeBron James career."

---

Should the Lakers do everything they can to trade Russell Westbrook to the Indiana Pacers?

Buddy Hield (left) in action for the Indiana Pacers

At this point in time, the LA Lakers' front office should be doing everything in their power to get a deal done with the Indiana Pacers. If they can somehow trade Russell Westbrook to the Pacers, it could completely change the trajectory of their season.

When the Lakers traded for the star guard, they sacrificed their depth to do so. Indiana duo Myles Turner and Buddy Hield aren't flashy names like Westbrook. However, they could be a massive upgrade to LA's supporting cast alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

For starters, both players are respectable 3-point shooters. Hield has also consistently been near the top of the league in terms of volume. When the Lakers won the title in 2020, it was because of the two-man game with James and AD. For that to work properly, having reliable floor-spacers is essential.

As one of the best defensive big men in the game, Turner can also help solidify the Lakers' frontcourt. More importantly, he can play center so Davis doesn't have to, and can keep the floor open on offense as well.

Even with it pushing up against the start of the regular season, a trade of this framework could possibly put the Lakers back in the title hunt.

However, Indiana has refused to consider a deal without LA's two first-round picks being included so far. Should the Lakers include the draft capital to complete the trade, they will be mortgaging their future in the hopes of bringing home a championship in the short term.