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3 reasons why the Lakers should be happy to trade 2 picks for Kyrie Irving

By Jason Reed

WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 19: Kyrie Irving #11 of the Brooklyn Nets looks on against the Washington Wizards during the second half at Capital One Arena on January 19, 2022 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 19: Kyrie Irving #11 of the Brooklyn Nets looks on against the Washington Wizards during the second half at Capital One Arena on January 19, 2022 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) /
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The Los Angeles Lakers are currently waiting for the opportunity to make a Kyrie Irving trade this offseason. The Brooklyn Nets are currently figuring out their situation and deciding whether or not they will trade Kevin Durant, which will impact whether or not they trade Kyrie.

Los Angeles is the only suitable destination for Irving and there have been a lot of reports about a potential trade. It is widely believed that if the Lakers were simply willing to trade two first-round picks instead of just one the deal would already be done.

Not wanting to sell the future for one year of Kyrie is understandable, but in the grand scheme of things, Rob Pelinka and co. should be willing to do this to get Kyrie to LA. Trying to leverage the Nets right now is fine, but if it comes down to it, they have to pull the trigger.

Here are three reasons why the Lakers should be happy to trade two first-round picks for Kyrie Irving:

1. The Los Angeles Lakers are not winning anything with Russell Westbrook 

This is the most obvious reason why the Lakers should be willing to trade two first-round picks. Russell Westbrook is actively hurting the team and as long as he is in Los Angeles they do not have a chance of winning the title.

In fact, the Lakers are better off just telling Westbrook to stay home rather than letting him play. Darvin Ham can dress it up all he wants and fans can convince themselves all they want. Westbrook is not going to change. He has not changed for the last decade-plus and Ham isn’t going to suddenly be the Westbrook whisperer.

The front office needs to look themselves in the mirror and ask a very simple question: do we care about winning a championship this year or not? If the answer is yet then they trade the picks. It is as simple as that.

And if they instead want to pinch pennies and pray Westbrook works it risks upsetting LeBron, potentially leading to him leaving and then Anthony Davis will follow suit behind as a fellow Klutch guy.

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