Lakers GM Rob Pelinka seen with Nets GM at Summer League

February 20, 2022; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Los Angeles Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka during the first quarter in the 2022 NBA All-Star Game at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
February 20, 2022; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Los Angeles Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka during the first quarter in the 2022 NBA All-Star Game at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Los Angeles Lakers might be on the verge of making a trade that would shift the direction of the franchise next season. Los Angeles has no chance of winning a title with Russell Westbrook playing point guard and the team might be able to flip him for another all-star guard.

The Brooklyn Nets are in the process of imploding and a Kyrie Irving trade to the Lakers seems like it might just be a matter of time. Los Angeles is the only team that is reportedly interested in Irving, which is very promising for the prospects of a future deal.

However, there is still a lot to work out between these two teams. Brooklyn would be taking on more salary in a Westbrook for Irving swap so the Lakers likely have to take on another contract to make this work. LA certainly does not want to pay more money against the tax, which is why a third team like the San Antonio Spurs could be looped into the trade.

Lakers fans are patiently waiting to hear the news that Irving will soon don the purple and gold while Lakers GM Rob Pelinka is seemingly hard at work to make the trade happen. Pelinka was recently spotted chopping it up with Brooklyn Nets GM Sean Marks during a Las Vegas Summer League game, which is a great sign for LA.

Rob Pelinka and the Lakers may just have to end up being patient for Kyrie Irving.

While Pelinka and the Lakers are going to want to get this deal done as soon as possible before another team comes in, the team is likely going to have to wait. Marks and the Nets have an even bigger situation to figure out in a potential Kevin Durant trade, which is going to take precedence over an Irving trade.

Perhaps that is what Marks is explaining to Pelinka in this video. Regardless, Rob did a great job at laughing at Marks’ jokes, whether they were actually funny or not. Way to butter him up, Rob!

Brooklyn is not the only team that the Lakers are engaged with, either. ESPN’s Dave McMenamin reported that LA is also engaged in trade talks with the Indiana Pacers involving Russell Westbrook.

That trade won’t net the Lakers an all-star guard in return but it still would improve the team as it would get Westbrook out of LA. If Brooklyn drags their feet for too long, don’t be surprised if Pelinka tries to use a potential deal with the Pacers as leverage.