NBA Rumors: Lakers declined Russell Westbrook for John Wall trade

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 03: Russell Westbrook #0 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts during the game against the Los Angeles Clippers at Crypto.com Arena on February 03, 2022 in Los Angeles, California, NBA Rumors: Lakers declined Russell Westbrook for John Wall trade. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)

The NBA trade deadline has come and gone, and as the dust settles, there are a few things to consider. James Harden in Philadelphia, the Ben Simmons saga is over, and the Mavericks and Wizards broke the internet.

But perhaps the most shocking fact to come out of Thursday is the fact that the Los Angeles Lakers did not make any trades.

Leading up to the deadline, there was a ton of buzz regarding potential moves they could make. Most included youngster Talen Horton-Tucker, but a select few involved point guard Russell Westbrook.

Well, new NBA rumors have surfaced, and apparently, they had the chance to trade Westbrook… and didn’t.

NBA Rumors: Lakers declined Russell Westbrook for John Wall trade

According to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports, Los Angeles had a deal on the table for Russell Westbrook from the Houston Rockets, but they said no.

“Sources informed me that the Rockets did reach out to the Lakers to offer John Wall for Russell Westbrook. But they wanted the Lakers to include a first-round pick. The Lakers declined that. So that was the end of that discussion right there.”

Rumblings of a John Wall for Westbrook swap had been going on for a while, but the contingent was always that the Rockets wanted a first. That’s a big ask.

In all likelihood, Houston asked for Los Angeles’ 2027 first-round pick. It’s always tough to trade away picks that far into the future, especially when the deal doesn’t make a team significantly better.

Plus, who knows how good the Lakers will be in 2027? At that point, LeBron James will probably be retired and Anthony Davis could be gone. That pick could end up being fairly valuable.

Haynes went on to report that the only other real asset Los Angeles had to work with was Talen Horton-Tucker. However, there were no deals on the table that would give them a significant upgrade.

Now, the Lakers will explore the buyout market. However, Haynes stated that there isn’t much optimism in that regard for the Lakers, either.

In the end, just one night after losing to a very weak Portland Trail Blazers team, the Lakers stood pat at the trade deadline. Things aren’t looking too hot in Los Angeles.