Trading with Indiana could help Lakers eventually get Kyrie Irving
By Jason Reed
The Los Angeles Lakers have been waiting for the Brooklyn Nets to make a potential Russell Westbrook for Kyrie Irving swap. However, it appears that a potential Kyrie Irving trade is off the table for the Lakers right now as Shams Charnia reports that the Nets have “made it clear” that Irving is off the table.
Of course, this could just be an attempt at leverage by the Nets and if the team does trade Kevin Durant it still opens the door for a potential Kyrie Irving trade. In fact, the Nets would be better off trading Irving to the only team that actually wants him but it appears that they are being stubborn.
The Lakers cannot afford to sit around and wait any longer as it is time for the team to explore another package for Russell Westbrook. The most-talked-about alternative for the Lakers has been a package for Buddy Hield and Myles Turner. Indiana reportedly already denied an offer from LA with just one pick, so a second pick would have to be attached.
While it might be a lot to send for Buddy Hield and Myles Turner, it makes the Lakers much better as it adds a much-needed dynamic to the team while also getting rid of the biggest issue on the roster. The title window won’t last forever and the Lakers might as well go all in.
That is especially true considering that this trade could help the Lakers get Kyrie Irving down the line. While Kyrie likely won’t be a Laker this summer, making a trade now with the Pacers could help facilitate a trade with Brooklyn in six months if things implode.
How an Indiana Pacers trade now can help the Lakers trade for Kyrie Irving later:
It is not crazy to think that this could blow up in the Nets’ faces. Kevin Durant has not necessarily been the most understanding guy when he is not getting his way and Kyrie Irving certainly has caused distraction before.
Brooklyn can hold onto their current core all it wants but with the circus that has been happening over the last two years, chances are that this implodes by the trade deadline and Irving demands his way out of Brooklyn.
At that point, the Nets are only going to have half a season of Irving on the books and would benefit far more from trading him then keeping around a disgruntled star that makes everyone else’s life harder. However, the problem is that there won’t be much of a trade market.
There already aren’t any teams that want to trade for Kyrie, what makes the Nets think that will change in six months? If Irving wants out in February then the only team that is going to be calling is the Los Angeles Lakers.
And who are they going to be offering? One of Hield or Turner along with Talen Horton Tucker. There might need to be another minimum contract thrown in to make it work financially but in a perfect world, Los Angeles can keep one of Hield or Turner and also get Kyrie.
Brooklyn is going to take any deal that they can get and getting the salary relief as well as a young player in THT is at least something. That is better than just letting Irving be upset and see his contract expire at the end of the season.
Sure, the Lakers could take the same approach by just keeping Westbrook around but the Nets would then be taking on more money in return and would not be getting anything of value. At that rate, Brooklyn might as well just buy Irving out. This package at least has some value for the Nets.