Should the Dallas Mavericks trade for Russell Westbrook?

Should the Dallas Mavericks trade for Russell Westbrook?

The Lakers do not want to give up their two tradeable first-round picks, and they are holding out hope that they can acquire Kyrie Irving or Buddy Hield with Westbrook heading out in one of those deals. Dallas is on the periphery of the Westbrook trade talks at this point, and they should not be the team that acquires him no matter how many hypothetical deals are created on the internet.

Trading for Westbrook’s massive expiring contract is also a situation that is not going away. Contending teams are always looking to dump contracts with draft pick compensation attached. The Mavericks could make a similar move at any point if they think they can flip the draft picks for a star-caliber player. Look how fast the Knicks created enough cap space to sign Jalen Brunson. Teams are motivated to make deals, especially if it gets them off unwanted salary.

The Mavs have no interest in keeping Russell Westbrook, so they should not be looking to trade for him. Dallas should be focused on finding roster upgrades. The Mavericks need another ball-handler that can play next to Luka Doncic after the departure of Jalen Brunson. Nico Harrison and the front office should be focused on finding the right move that increases their chances of winning next season.

The Russell Westbrook situation in Los Angeles is something all NBA fans should be watching. Will the Lakers trade two first-round picks before the season begins? Does it net them a significant on-court upgrade or just clear Westbrook’s contract off the books? Stay tuned to find out.