The biggest trade that the Los Angeles Lakers could make this offseason is for Kyrie Irving but as that potential deal has dragged along Lakers fans have started to explore alternatives for the team. A deal with the Indiana Pacers or even the New York Knicks and Utah Jazz is possible for LA.
One wild scenario would be the Lakers making a Kyrie trade and still executing on the backup plans. It is no secret that the team needs three-point shooting and the Lakers could look to not only add Kyrie but Buddy Hield as well.
It does not stop there. The Lakers have also been tied to Eric Gordon, who shot over 41% from three last season. Perhaps LA can completely rebuild the guard rotation with Irving, Hield and Gordon. The team seemingly has interest in this possibility, at least according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin (via The Lowe Post).
REPORT: The Lakers have interest in trading for Eric Gordon and Buddy Hield in addition to Kyrie Irving, per @mcten.
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) July 20, 2022
In order for that particular deal to be made, LA will need to move Talen Horton-Tucker.
(via @ZachLowe_NBA, https://t.co/M2ILLbTG2P) pic.twitter.com/cUHc6tuajj
This is a wild scenario and includes a lot of moving parts. And while the Lakers are over the luxury tax, they actually can make this work logistically. There is a reality in which Kyrie Irving, Buddy Hield and Eric Gordon are donning the purple and gold.
How the Lakers could get Kyrie Irving, Buddy Hield and Eric Gordon:
This would require two separate trades for the Lakers. In theory, they could combine into a four-team trade but then each team has to “touch” each other team in the deal, which would only complicate matters.
The first trade would get both Kyrie and Hield to Los Angeles that sends Russell Westbrook to the Indiana Pacers. Westbrook and a first from the Lakers would go to Indiana while Myles Turner and a first from the Lakers would go to Brooklyn. Hield and Kyrie would come to LA.
Both teams get draft capital and with Kyrie not having much of a market, this is not the worst trade for Brooklyn. They get the same draft capital they are going to get anyway, a nice player they can play and then flip at the deadline and they save a pretty chunk of change.
Is it the most realistic deal? No. But it works with the league’s trade rules and there definitely is a case to be made for all three teams in the deal.
The second trade would then have to be Talen Horton-Tucker, Kendrick Nunn, Wenyen Gabriel and probably a future second-round pick or two for Eric Gordon. Houston is going to look for more in a Gordon trade but this very well could be the best they get.
Personally, I am not a big fan of Gordon for the Lakers but if the team likes him they would absolutely pull the trigger on this deal. Nunn, THT and Westbrook get replaced by Gordon, Hield and Kyrie while the Lakers could elevate Cole Swider to replace Wenyen Gabriel.
Quite frankly, that is probably what should happen anyways, as Swider is much better for the Lakers than Gabriel. This also leaves an open roster spot for the team to bring in a complementary free agent or even a buyout signing as we get into the year.
Lakers fans won’t like who just asked LeBron James to ‘run it back’ on IG
The Los Angeles Lakers have one more roster spot to fill this offseason and fans won't like this pitch from a recent former Laker.
The starting five would likely be Irving, Hield, LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Thomas Bryant with Eric Gordon as the sixth man. While it is not the best outlook, it is better than what the team has now as at least they would have shooters.