The Lakers could be looking for a reset towards the future this offseason. Sam Presti wants more picks. Cleveland’s prodigal son returns without giving up many pieces.

Why would the Lakers do this? The future of building around AD. With this trade, they would be committed to only 13 guys on next year’s roster with a payroll of $104.4 million and the rights to match any contract for Sexton. This would also give them a blank slate in the 2023 offseason around a core of AD, Sexton, Markkanen, and THT, with lots and lots of salary cap space to draw a big free agent to LA. That’s appealing.

They also get to offload Westbrook thanks to Cleveland’s draft pick commitment. Sam Presti wants every pick he can find so he can start making big draft day moves. OKC would have to have Westbrook for one year at his salary, which is fine, because they’ll be focused on the core of SGA, Giddey, and whichever of the top three bigs they grab in this year’s draft. They’ll have the ability to trade up for whoever they want.

For Cleveland, LeBron makes at least one more run at a title in his hometown. This would give the Cavs a strong seven-man rotation of Allen, Mobley, LeBron, LeVert, and Garland, with Love and Okoro coming off the bench. They’d definitely be a top four team in the East and contend for one more title.