Report: Proposed Lakers-Pacers blockbuster trade 'currently dead'
Regardless of where he may end up next, some recent reports have indicated that former league MVP Russell Westbrook has played his final game in a Los Angeles Lakers uniform. In the Eastern Conference, it's been heavily rumored that both defensive menace Myles Turner and sharpshooter Buddy Hield will be moved by the Indiana Pacers at some point this summer as well.
On Wednesday, ESPN's Dave McMenamin said that the Pacers and Lakers had "re-engaged" in trade talks involving Hield — and perhaps Turner and Westbrook. On Friday morning, Bob Kravitz gave an update on the situation, and it seems like the pendulum of negotiations has swung yet again.
Westbrook averaged 18.5 points, 7.4 rebounds, 7.1 assists and 1.0 steal per contest during his first season with the Lakers and exercised his $47.1 million option in June, presumably setting him up to "run it back" with Anthony Davis, LeBron James and company. New Lakers coach Darvin Ham recently said that he has a "clear plan" on how he'll utilize Westbrook and feels that the point guard is "going to flourish."
Indiana already traded former Rookie of the Year guard Malcolm Brogdon to the Boston Celtics at the start of July, and if talks with Los Angeles pick back up, another blockbuster could still be on the horizon.
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