Lakers Trade Rumors: Russell Westbrook for Buddy Hield Move Discussed with Kings

After passing on a Buddy Hield trade in favor of Russell Westbrook during the offseason, the Los Angeles Lakers reportedly tried to put together a deal involving both players last month. 

Per The Athletic's Sam Amick, the Lakers "showed covert interest in discussing possible Westbrook deals early on this season" with one such scenario involving Hield and the Sacramento Kings. 

Hield wound up being traded to the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday, along with Tyrese Haliburton and Tristan Thompson, for Domantas Sabonis, Jeremy Lamb, Justin Holiday and a 2023 second-round pick. 

Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported in July that the Lakers and Kings were talking about a deal built around Kyle Kuzma to acquire Hield. 

Instead, the Lakers pivoted to acquire Westbrook from the Washington Wizards in August. They sent Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Montrezl Harrell and the draft rights to Isaiah Jackson to Washington for the former NBA MVP. 

Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka said on Spectrum SportsNet's Backstage: Lakers show in December (h/t Jacob Rude of Silver Screen and Roll) that one reason they acquired Westbrook was to ease the burden on LeBron James:

"I think in kind of building the roster in the offseason, obviously we made a big trade for Russell Westbrook to get another playmaker. ... We knew that as LeBron journeyed towards Year 19 in the league and then Year 20, we couldn't rely on him as the sole engine for our team, so we made that trade really wanting to dimensionalize the roster with a combination of versatility, guys that could shoot and also defenders."

Things haven't worked out for Westbrook or the Lakers in the five months since he was acquired. The nine-time All-Star is shooting 43.5 percent from the field (29.8 percent from three) and is averaging 4.1 turnovers per game in 55 starts.

Head coach Frank Vogel benched Westbrook in the fourth quarter of games against the New York Knicks on Feb. 5 and Milwaukee Bucks on Feb. 8. 

Per Yahoo Sports' Chris Haynes, the Houston Rockets approached the Lakers about a Westbrook-for-John Wall trade ahead of Thursday's deadline. Los Angeles rejected the offer when the Rockets insisted on getting the Lakers' 2027 first-round pick in the deal. 

The Lakers have lost 11 of 16 games since Jan. 9 and are in ninth place in the Western Conference with a 26-30 record.