3 teams the Los Angeles Lakers can loop into a Kyrie Irving trade
By Jason Reed
2. Charlotte Hornets
The Charlotte Hornets are a team that actually has interest in Russell Westbrook this offseason. They might be the only team in the NBA that actually has interest in Westbrook as they have legitimate reasons to acquire the former MVP.
The Hornets have to pay Miles Bridges and will eventually have to pay LaMelo Ball and the team is not set up great financially. Gordan Hayward and Terry Rozier are a bit overpaid and could restrict the team in the future. Trading for Westbrook would get those contracts off the books and reset the money after next season.
Plus, Westbrook is the perfect over-the-hill star player to put in Charlotte with the sole purpose of being the ninth seed in the Eastern Conference to sell tickets. The city of Charlotte would 100% embrace him, even if it was just for one season.
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Hayward and Rozier is not a great return for the Lakers, especially considering they would likely have to attach a first-round pick. While it makes the team better next season, Hayward and Rozier would restrict the team in the future and they probably would not win a title with those two regardless.
However, they can spin that interest to a three-team trade with the Nets, with Brooklyn instead getting Hayward and Rozier. Granted, that is not the best return for Kyrie Irving, but if it is between losing Kyrie (and the cap space) or getting Hayward and Rozier, they are going to get Hayward and Rozier.