The Utah Jazz acquired Russell Westbrook from the Los Angeles Lakers in a three-team, eight-player trade which also involved the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Here are the details of the trade:
Jazz receive: Russell Westbrook, Juan Toscano-Anderson, Damian Jones, Lakers’ 2027 first-round pick.
Lakers receive: D’Angelo Russell, Jarred Vanderbilt, Malik Beasley.
Timberwolves receive: Mike Conley Jr., Nickeil Alexander-Walker, second-round picks in 2024, 2025 and 2026.
NBA Insider Chris Haynes reported that the Jazz will likely buy out Westbrook’s contract, which would make him available for another team to sign. Westbrook is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer.
The trade comes a day after Westbrook passed Gary Payton for 10th place on the NBA’s all-time assist list.
Westbrook, a nine-time NBA all-star, the league’s MVP in 2017, and the league’s scoring champion in 2015 and 2017, could not find his game as a member of the Lakers, despite playing with LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
This trade is one of many expected to come at the 2023 NBA trade deadline, which is Feb. 9.
Reports of other blockbuster trades have already surfaced, including a deal that will send Kevin Durant to the Phoenix Suns. The Dallas Mavericks also acquired Kyrie Irving earlier in the week.