3. Kyrie Irving
Just because Kyrie Irving was not traded this offseason does not mean a trade is off the table during the season. The Brooklyn Nets are far from being a well-run ship and there absolutely is a path in which the Nets are disappointing and the front office has no choice but to blow it up.
If the team suspects Irving is going to leave anyway then they might as well trade him at midseason if things are not going well. At this point, Brooklyn will have no leverage with Kyrie, meaning the Lakers could probably make a deal happen for only one first-round pick.
Another player would have to be tossed in the package to save money for the Nets (probably Joe Harris) but that should not change things for the Lakers. The team would get to flip Westbrook for a better player who has his issues but has won a championship with LeBron before.
There was speculation that the Lakers could sign Kyrie next summer but that was refuted as Kyrie reportedly is not in the team’s long-term plans. That does not derail a potential trade, though, as the Lakers would remain financially flexible for the summer while having a better chance of contending.
LeBron James urges Lakers to sign this standout preseason star
LeBron James knows what the Los Angeles Lakers need this upcoming season and the team should be listening to his petition for this preseason star.
This is probably the best-case scenario for the Lakers. They would get Kyrie at a cheaper price than they would have gotten him during the summer while accomplishing everything else they want to accomplish as an organization.