After a long layoff, the Los Angeles Lakers are finally gearing up for the 2022-23 season to officially tip off within the next month.
The offseason was a busy one for the Lakers, who added several new pieces to complement LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Russell Westbrook also remains on the roster despite constant trade negotiations that would’ve brought back multiple players.
With training camp scheduled to begin next week, James took it upon himself to organize a players-only minicamp that Cole Swider revealed would take place in San Diego starting Sep. 22. According to Dave McMenamin of ESPN, all players on the team are present on the first day including Westbrook:
The Lakers’ players-led minicamp tipped off in San Diego this morning. Every player on the roster is present, sources told ESPN. Training camp opens up officially on Monday with Media Day in El Segundo.
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) September 23, 2022
The bulk of the roster was there on the first day except for the recently signed Dennis Schroder, who was busy settling his family back in Los Angeles:
An update: New PG Dennis Schroder is organizing his family’s move back to Los Angeles and was unable to attend Day 1, according to a source. https://t.co/q0UCEvqVFK
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) September 23, 2022
There was a sentiment floating around that a potential Westbrook deal would have to take place before James’ minicamp so the team could practice with the players expected to be available throughout the season. Now that James’ outing is ongoing, some might think that a trade will no longer happen and that the Lakers are serious about keeping the point guard to start the year.
However, should the right deal present itself for L.A., there’s reason to believe they would happily ship out Westbrook if it meant improving their title chances. With so much smoke around him potentially being traded, the Lakers will surely continue to seek out offers throughout the season.
For now though, it’s good to see the players working out together in an effort to build up some early chemistry and camaraderie. Expectations may not be high, but there’s an outside shot this team can surprise people when the games begin.
Lakers don’t think Pacers package for Westbrook is worth two first round picks
The primary snag in any Westbrook deal has been the Lakers’ reluctance to include their 2027 and 2029 first round picks unprotected. The Indiana Pacers have loomed as an attractive trade partner because of Myles Turner and Buddy Hield, but L.A. reportedly doesn’t believe those two are worth both their unprotected firsts.
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