The speculation around what the Los Angeles Lakers might do this offseason is extremely high even with the team coming off one of the most disappointing seasons in basketball history. Los Angeles is desperate to re-open a championship window that was slammed shut last season and the front office will seemingly do anything to create a contender.
Well, anything except trade a first-round pick to move Russell Westbrook, which is undoubtedly going to be the cost if the Lakers are trying to pull off a salary-dump trade for someone like Gordon Hayward or Julius Randle.
Perhaps the Lakers would be willing to trade a first-round pick (or two) if it meant getting a star player in return. Zach LaVine joining the Lakers is something that is actually more possible than you might think and the Lakers should be more than willing to trade picks in a trade that pivots off from Westbrook to LaVine.
There is another star player that could be on the trade market as well in Kyrie Irving. Irving is coming off of an interesting season in Brooklyn, to say the least, and the Nets are now reportedly unwilling to offer Irving a long-term extension.
Could the Los Angeles Lakers actually trade for Kyrie Irving?
LeBron James and Kyrie Irving have won a championship together before and most fans would welcome an upgrade from Westbrook to Irving with open arms. With Anthony Davis serving as the team’s all-star big, this would essentially be a much better version of the Cleveland Cavaliers team that won it all in 2016.
This would not be an easy trade to pull off, though, and it would take some key dominos falling into place to make it happen.