Bleacher Report’s trade idea to ‘improve’ Lakers would never happen

The major dominos of the NBA offseason have fallen, but there are still a plethora of storylines that are unsettled. The Los Angeles Lakers fall right into the latter category amid their efforts to offload Russell Westbrook and ultimately acquire Kyrie Irving in a three-team blockbuster.

Unfortunately for the Lakers, a trade for Irving won’t happen until the Nets figure out what they’re doing with Kevin Durant.

As soon as that domino falls, they can facilitate a Irving trade … and based on Nets owner Joe Tsai’s recent tweet in which he confirmed his allegiance to Sean Marks and Steve Nash, a Durant trade seems more likely than ever.

Durant reportedly has Phoenix and Miami atop his destination wishlist. What a surprise, right? After failing to lead Brooklyn to a title, he hand-picks the two teams that finished atop their respective conferences. Sounds familiar.

While the NBA world waits to see how the Westbrook, Durant and Irving storylines unfold, Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley brainstormed trade ideas to improve every team’s starting lineup.

Buckley’s idea for the Lakers is lovely on paper, but it unfortunately has zero chance of coming to fruition.

This Lakers-Nets trade is too insane to ever actually happen.

"“In a single swap, the Lakers could go from swimming upstream toward the play-in tournament to cannon-ball splashing their way into the deep end of contenders,” Buckley said of how this trade would improve LA’s title odds.“Kyrie is the move,” an NBA insider told B/R’s Eric Pincus. “They should offer Davis with Westbrook. Try and get Kevin Durant. KD for AD and a pick is as close as [the Nets] will get to what they want.”“Maybe this proves to be a pie-in-the-sky pursuit, but wow, is it fascinating. Irving reuniting with James? Durant joining forces with the player he so often finished just behind in the best-on-the-planet debates? All of it playing out under the Hollywood spotlight? Magnificent.”"

We don’t think there’s a Lakers fan out there that wouldn’t endorse this trade, but why would the Nets ever do this?

Yes, they would rid themselves of the Durant-Irving headache and power struggle, but acquiring a declining Russell Westbrook – and his albatross of a contract – and an oft-injured Anthony Davis would make little to no sense, especially given their offense is expected to run through Ben Simmons.

Could you imagine a starting five of Westbrook, Joe Harris, Ben Simmons, Davis, and Nicolas Claxton?

Talk about clunky. Harris would represent the only shooting threat. Sure, they have Seth Curry, TJ Warren, Royce O’Neale and Cam Thomas off the bench, but is that rotation really making noise in the much-improved East?

The conversation wouldn’t even reach that point, however. While Davis is certainly worth multiple firsts, the Nets would never accept just two first rounders in trading away Durant and Irving. Remember, they asked the Timberwolves for four first-round picks AND Anthony Edwards and Karl Anthony-Towns just for Durant.

We understand the motivation behind Buckley’s exercise, but he could’ve at least come up with something realistic for Lakers fans.

This idea is just silly.

3 keys to the Los Angeles Lakers shocking the world next season

The Los Angeles Lakers are being counted out for the 2022-23 season but there is a path in which they shock the entire world.