Los Angeles Lakers’ Russell Westbrook #0 delivers a message to fans during the game against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on February 2, 2023 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Andy Lyons/Getty Images/AFP
The Lakers, Jazz and Minnesota Timberwolves are finalizing deals to bring Russell Westbrook to Utah and D’Angelo Russell to Los Angeles, ESPN and The Athletic reported Wednesday night.
Malik Beasley and Jarred Vanderbilt will also join the Lakers, while the Jazz will also receive a 2027 first-round pick of the top four defenders alongside Juan Toscano-Anderson and Damian Jones from Los Angeles, according to reports. fox.
Minnesota will buy Mike Conley Jr. and Nickeil Alexander-Walker from Utah and will receive compensation for the second round draft as part of the deal.
According to The Athletic, the Timberwolves will also receive additional draft picks in the second round.
The NBA trade deadline is Thursday.
Westbrook, 34, has been underwhelming since arriving at the Lakers ahead of the 2021-22 season. He’s only started three of 52 games this season and is averaging 15.9 points per game. He is said to have had a heated verbal exchange with coach Darvin Ham after Tuesday’s game in which LeBron James broke the all-time scoring record.
FILE – D’Angelo Russell #0 of the Minnesota Timberwolves walks back before a game against the Milwaukee Bucks at the Fiserv Forum on December 30, 2022 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Stacy Revere/Getty Images/AFP
Russell will return to the Lakers, who picked him in 2nd overall in 2015.before trading him with Brooklyn in June 2017 for Kyle Kuzma and Brook Lopez.
Russell, 26, is in his fourth season in Minnesota. The 2018-19 All-Star is averaging 17.9 points and 6.2 assists per game in 54 appearances this season. His point output has dropped every season in Minnesota since averaging 21.7 for the Timberwolves in 12 games in the 2019-20 season. He is a player who has scored 17.7 points in his career for four teams.
Conley, 35, is in his 16th and fourth NBA seasons in Utah. He’s averaged 10.7 points and 7.7 assists per game in 43 games (42 appearances) this season. He spent his first 12 seasons in Memphis and averaged 14.7 points per game during his career.
Vanderbilt, 23, is in his first season with Utah after season three with the Timberwolves. He is averaging 8.3 points, 7.9 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 52 games (41 appearances) this season.
Beasley, 26, was a key reserve player for the Jazz, averaging 13.4 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 55 games (13 appearances). He also made his first season in Utah after spending the third with Minnesota.
Alexander-Walker, 24, has given the Jazz 6.3 points and 2.1 assists per game in 36 games (three starts) this season. During his career, he averaged 8.7 points, 2.4 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 194 games (38 appearances).
Toscano-Anderson, 29, won the championship ring as a little-used substitute with the Golden State Warriors last season. He’s been a little-used substitute for the Lakers this season, averaging 2.7 points and two rebounds in 30 games (seven appearances).
Jones, 27, has also been an extra for the Lakers this season, averaging 2.5 points and 2.5 rebounds in 22 games (one start). He is joining the fifth team in his seven NBA seasons.
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