<https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/35618590/lakers-finalizing-3-team-trade-dangelo-russell>

Sources: Lakers land D'Angelo Russell in three-team trade play 5:27 PM PT ESPN
The Los Angeles Lakers have agreed to a deal to land Minnesota's D'Angelo
Russell, Malik Beasley and Jarred Vanderbilt in a three-team trade also
involving the Utah Jazz, sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

In the trade, the Timberwolves will receive guards Mike Conley and Nickeil
Alexander-Walker and picks, while the Jazz will receive Russell Westbrook, Juan
Toscano-Anderson, Damian Jones and a 2027 Lakers first-round pick that is
top-four protected, sources said. If the Lakers' pick to the Jazz is not
conveyed in 2027 -- if it falls into the top four -- the pick immediately
converts to a 2027 second-round pick, sources told ESPN's Zach Lowe.

All players involved have been notified about the trade, including Westbrook,
according to sources.

Russell, 26, is averaging 17.9 points and 6.2 assists while shooting 46.5% from
the field, including 39.1% from 3-point range.

After a rocky start to the season combined with the loss of Karl-Anthony Towns
to a calf strain in late November, Russell helped steady the ship and keep
Minnesota in the mix of a competitive race in the middle of the Western
Conference.

He's averaging a career high in field goal percentage, 3-point percentage and
free throw percentage this season. He's also finishing at an elite rate -- his
65.4% shooting on layups and dunks this season ranks in the top 10 among guards
(minimum 125 field goal attempts).

But with Russell heading into the final year of his deal and the continued
emergence of Anthony Edwards, Minnesota decided to move in another direction.

This will be Russell's second stint with the Lakers. He was drafted No. 2
overall by the team in the 2015 NBA draft and played two seasons for Los
Angeles before being traded to the Brooklyn Nets in June 2017.

Russell has played for five teams in eight years; he has yet to complete three
seasons on the same team thus far in his NBA career.

Westbrook's tenure in L.A. ends less than two years after the Lakers acquired
the former MVP in the hopes of vaulting the franchise back into title
contention. However, injuries and a poor on-court fit among Westbrook, LeBron
James and Anthony Davis led to the Lakers missing the postseason last year and
have them in danger of doing the same this season.

Westbrook, 34, now moves to his fifth team in as many years after a decorated
11-year stint in Oklahoma City that saw him make eight All-NBA teams and win
the MVP in 2017.

Westbrook can still fill up the stat sheet in his 15th NBA season; he's one of
just six players to have at least four triple-doubles this season. But with
his move to the bench this year, Westbrook's overall production has dipped from
his career norms -- he's averaging 15.9 points, 6.2 rebounds and 7.5 assists.
His 41.7% shooting is in the bottom 10 among players averaging at least 12
field goal attempts this season.

Westbrook is in the final year of the five-year, maximum extension he signed
with the Thunder back in 2017. He is set to become an unrestricted free agent
this summer.

Conley, 35, is one of the last remaining players from the Donovan Mitchell and
Rudy Gobert era in Utah and has helped lead the Jazz to a surprising spot in
the play-in race.

The veteran point guard is averaging 10.7 points per game this season, the
lowest since his rookie season, but also a career-high 7.7 assists.