Lakers Rumors: Russell Westbrook Trade for Pacers' Myles Turner, Buddy Hield Debated

An internal "debate" reportedly continues to wage on behind the scenes as the Los Angeles Lakers decide whether to trade Russell Westbrook.

Shams Charania, Sam Amick and Jovan Buha of The Athletic reported the Lakers' brain trust of Rob Pelinka, Jeanie Buss and Kurt Rambis met ahead of training camp and "seriously considered" a trade that would send Westbrook and two future first-round picks to the Indiana Pacers for Myles Turner and Buddy Hield.

The opinions of coach Darvin Ham and Lakers executives Joey and Jesse Buss were also reportedly "strongly considered" in the process.

Pelinka has final say on basketball moves, but the group decided it would not make a move unless a consensus was reached. With Westbrook opening the preseason in a Lakers uniform, there were obviously differing opinions on how to handle the situation.

Jeanie Buss was reportedly Westbrook's strongest champion among the brain trust, believing a "combination of Ham’s style and on-court plan could be the solution here." Ham has expressed excitement about coaching Westbrook on multiple occasions and has publicly preached accountability—particularly on the defensive end.

It's clear there is no guarantee Westbrook will remain with the organization through the end of the season. Pelinka's current plan is to "remain patient and see" if Westbrook fits better under Ham than he did under former coach Frank Vogel, who clashed with the 2017 MVP throughout last season.

There is some danger in waiting. The Pacers are not going to sit around and hope the Lakers come back to the trade table; if an opportunity presents itself to move Turner and/or Hield, they'll strike. Indiana could also start out hotter than expected as its young roster starts coalescing.

From a pure basketball perspective, Turner and Hield are a better fit next to LeBron James and Anthony Davis than Westbrook. Both James and Westbrook are at their apex of effectiveness with the ball in their hands, and Westbrook's lack of shooting prowess makes him a liability when he's asked to spot up. Taking the ball out of James' hands in favor of Westbrook makes little sense given the fact LeBron is a far superior basketball player.

The Lakers' long-standing obsession with star power may be clouding the front office's vision, given most outside observers have already come to the conclusion that this trio simply does not work on the floor.