NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 08: Kyrie Irving #11 of the Brooklyn Nets dribbles during the first half against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Barclays Center on April 08, 2022 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. 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 Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
NBA Trades: 3-team trade lands Kyrie Irving on LA Clippers
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JANUARY 23: (NEW YORK DAILIES OUT) Kyrie Irving #11 of the Brooklyn Nets in action against LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers at Barclays Center on January 23, 2020 in New York City. The Lakers defeated the Nets 128-113, NBA Trades: 3-team trade lands Kyrie Irving on LA Clippers. 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 Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
NBA Trades: 3-team trade lands Kyrie Irving on LA Clippers: The Lakers option
The Lakers’ main problem was that any deal that involved the acquisition of Kyrie Irving required the Nets to take on Russel Westbrook. Pairing former teammates, Durant and Westbrook, wasn’t an attractive proposition for the Nets.
Aside from the personal animosity that may exist between the two, adding Westbrook to the mix would’ve made their team worse while at the same time making it more expensive. But with Durant asking out, this all changes.
Now, the path for Irving to join the Lakers is pretty clear. All he has to do is follow the Anthony Davis blueprint, and by that I mean he has to declare that he would only sign an extension with the Lakers, and that every other team that would trade for him would be doing so for a one-year rental.
Irving is an unrestricted free agent after this year, and the Lakers could open a maximum salary slot to sign him in the summer of 2023. With this threat, he could depress the market enough to make the Lakers’ lackluster offer palatable to the Nets.
However, if he does not take this position and is willing to go to a number of teams, as was reported during the past week, the chances of the Lakers acquiring him are drastically reduced.
Many teams could beat the Lakers’ lousy offer of Westbrook and two first-rounders. Including their inner-city rivals, whom Irving was reportedly interested in. The Clippers have many medium-sized contracts to work with and could easily make the money work in a trade, and they also possess the same quality of draft capital that the Lakers could offer.
