Why hasn't Randle for Westbrook happened yet?

[mademan]

1st rounder's going the wrong way

[Pattycakes]

Knicks are going to get Brunson. We can all hate on Randle, he definitely isn't perfect. But he's also a year removed from a really good season. I see him as a better player today than Westbrook. Knicks want to win now with Brunson, RJ and Randle for better or worse.

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All lefty’s too. Soh cute

[Dan Z]

Houston bought out Wall. Could the Lakers just buyout Westbrook and try to build around AD/Lebron if no trade happens

If they buy him out does that mean DJ Augustin is their starting PG?

Buying him out won't give them extra cap space.

[hoosierdaddy34]

It took Real GM 2 seasons to realize that the Warriors weren't going to trade Wiggins, and move assets to get off his contract.

Well you don’t have as much time to realize it with the Lakers and Westbrook.

They aren’t trading future cap space or assets to move off Westbrook. They are just going to play this year out because they are moving on from LeBron. They have a legit shot at 90 million in cap space plus AD in 2023. And full cap space in 2024. That’s their top priority right now. Have full space and assets available to hit the reset button in the next year or two.

People can argue about it and give their two cents all they want, as they did with why they Warriors HAD to trade Wiggins, but this is the path the Lakers are on.

[JordansBulls]

Can't trade basically the equivalent of Kendall Gill for Oscar Robertson.

[Pennebaker]

Houston bought out Wall. Could the Lakers just buyout Westbrook and try to build around AD/Lebron if no trade happens

They would need to find a point guard again.

I think they’re ready to roll with Westbrook unless a package involving another starting caliber PG materializes.

[BK_2020]

I'd love to see the Lakers roll out Rondo, Randle, Lebron, AD, and Dwight Howard and have a go at it.

[FreeThrowLine]

If I’m the Knicks there’s no way I do that deal, would much rather have Randle

[Slava]

Lakers would need two 1sts for sending an expiring contract in exchange for Randle.

[righterwriter]

I think you guys have it backwards. Randle is the more valuable player. Russ not only makes a crazy amount of money, but he's absolutely toxic to team chemistry, and he's also terrible on the court.

Randle had one bad season in a career that has been quite good. He's definitely young enough to get back on track. I think you give him another year before trying to trade him for the least desired player in the entire NBA. If he still shoots a low percentage and acts like a fool, he's only paid $25M/yr for three more seasons after this one. That's pretty easy to get off of for a guy that can average 20/10/5.

[Slava]

I think you guys have it backwards. Randle is the more valuable player. Russ not only makes a crazy amount of money, but he's absolutely toxic to team chemistry, and he's also terrible on the court.

Randle had one bad season in a career that has been quite good. He's definitely young enough to get back on track. I think you give him another year before trying to trade him for the least desired player in the entire NBA. If he still shoots a low percentage and acts like a fool, he's only paid $25M/yr for three more seasons after this one. That's pretty easy to get off of for a guy that can average 20/10/5.

Westbrook is a has been, Randle is a never been.

[Knicks365247]

I think you guys have it backwards. Randle is the more valuable player. Russ not only makes a crazy amount of money, but he's absolutely toxic to team chemistry, and he's also terrible on the court.

Randle had one bad season in a career that has been quite good. He's definitely young enough to get back on track. I think you give him another year before trying to trade him for the least desired player in the entire NBA. If he still shoots a low percentage and acts like a fool, he's only paid $25M/yr for three more seasons after this one. That's pretty easy to get off of for a guy that can average 20/10/5.

Let’s see how Randle does with an actual point guard on the roster compared to the **** show that happened last season with the Knicks distributing offense.

[kobe808lak]

1 year of awful Westbrick > 4 more years of mediocre Randle.

[MavfanAus]

I mean, a Brunson, Westbrook and RJ lineup at least goes against the current 3 point era. Leave it to the Knicks to try and rebel against the current norm

[KnicksGadfly]

Lakers are not moving on from Westbrook cause Lakers are basically resigned to Lebron leaving and them not winning anything and they don't want to use assets to move Westbrook if they're not going to win. They should do the courageous thing by moving on from Lebron and AD and seeing what they can get for them and rebuild

[tundraknight]

That trade would just add even more fuel to the name shaming of both “Westbrick” and “New York Bricks”.

[Scalabrine]

My opinion is that this deal will be there later because I doubt anyone picks up Westbrook. I'd rather see how Randle plays again this year, with an actual point guard, and try to win some games with the roster we have first. If things go sour and we're really not playing well then you give the Lakers a call and see whatsup.

For the record though, I would cut Westbrook immediately and have no interest in him actually playing for the knicks.

[KnicksGadfly]

I think you guys have it backwards. Randle is the more valuable player. Russ not only makes a crazy amount of money, but he's absolutely toxic to team chemistry, and he's also terrible on the court.

Randle had one bad season in a career that has been quite good. He's definitely young enough to get back on track. I think you give him another year before trying to trade him for the least desired player in the entire NBA. If he still shoots a low percentage and acts like a fool, he's only paid $25M/yr for three more seasons after this one. That's pretty easy to get off of for a guy that can average 20/10/5.

Westbrook is a has been, Randle is a never been.

One thing I really think though. It takes a really special player to play with Lebron and really eff things up. That's Westbrook.

Think about all the clowns who have played with Lebron and won a chip: Kyrie, JR Smith, Iman,...half these dudes are ex-Knicks, and got paid beyond what they were worth. I really detest Randle, but his issue is really mental. If Lebron can beat him down and bully him into playing real basketball and not being a diva, you'll have yourself a good player who can space the floor and defend without whining and ballhogging and being a terrible teammate. Course, I wouldn't blame you if you don't wanna take that risk on. Still, despite all of Randle's flaws, he's not as bad as a teammate as Kyrie and Lebron made that work for a while.

[Liam_Gallagher]

If I were Pelinka I would pull the trigger. Re-sign Monk with the MLE, sign Bamba and and we're good to roll.

G - Nunn/Rose
G - Fournier/Monk
F - James/THT
F - Randle/Reaves/Gabriel
C - Davis/Bamba

[cgf]

A few issues with this, from NYK's end:
1. It takes away capspace unless the Knicks include Reddish...whom the Knicks FO presumably still values as a lotto-protected FRP, given that's what they paid for him...along with Randle & Fournier; or they can reach an agreement with Westbrook for him to give back MLE-money in a buyout, before the trade goes through.
2. LAL isn't going to send the knicks the draft compensation the FO is likely to want for that package.
3. Knicks management may have realized that Randle is overpaid, but I'm not sure they're ready to just dump him without giving him a chance to "bounceback" now that (it looks like) they've addressed the PG spot.
4. Though promising Toppin is still pretty raw and probably isn't ready to start yet; another 4-6mpg increase next season would be perfectly fine and that can be achieved just by rolling Randle's minutes back a little bit & playing him as a smallball 5 alongside Toppin.
4b. Since it's doubtful that Dolan has given them permission to openly tank, they can't go full rebuild and just live with Toppin's growing pains if they dump Julius & Obi doesn't take a big leap this offseason.

As a knicks fan, I see at least two clear issues from LAL's end...and I'm sure there are more that their fans could expand upon:
1. That's a lot of money for a guy who would be tricky to fit on the court with both AD & LeBron, even if they get more 2021 Randle than 2022 Randle. Whereas Russ is off the books in just 1 more year. If it all goes tits up, keeping their cap clean could be good given the draw the Lakers will always be.
2. They don't have a lot to give. So using what limited ammo they do have on a dubious fit, is probably a tough sell.