Kyrie Irving is back on the trade market, once again. It’s just that this time, instead of the Nets having months to figure out what to do, they’ve only got a few days.
The NBA’s trade deadline is coming up on February 9, which is less than one week away. Within that timeframe, the Nets have to gauge the market for their All-Star point guard, figure out their asking price and see what teams will be able to reach it. That’s a lot of work to do in just one week.
That’s exactly why only one team, at this point, makes the most sense. And that team is — you guessed it — the Los Angeles Lakers.
Yes, yes, I know. You’re tired of the Lakers being in every single trade rumor about every single player — star or otherwise — in the NBA. To be completely honest and transparent here, I am, too.
But there’s at least a baseline reasoning here for this one to make a little more sense. Let’s go over it.
The Lakers think they're "one trade away" from being a contender
The Lakers are just 3 games back of the Western Conference’s 4th seed at 25-28. This is a team that could legitimately be in the playoff picture with the rest of the Western Conference seemingly on a downturn.
That’s why, according to Bleacher Reports’ Chris Haynes, the Lakers think they need to make “one more move” to be a legitimate contender.
“The belief within the Lakers’ organization is that they need to make at least one more move by the Feb. 9 trade deadline to give themselves a legitimate shot at competing for a championship, sources say. The acquisition of Rui Hachimura and the return of Anthony Davis has provided a jolt of energy and a renewed sense of confidence in the locker room, along with some added motivation.”
Even if it feels like false hope, if the Lakers truly believe it then they’ll go forward with it.
There's already a history there
Irving reportedly wanted out of Brooklyn this summer during the Kevin Durant trade saga. His preferred destination was the Lakers, according to multiple reports. He was even given permission to seek a suitor for the Nets — there just wasn’t much else out there outside of the Lakers.
Irving still wants to be there, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
ESPN Sources: Brooklyn’s Kyrie Irving has not shared a list of preferred teams, but he has maintained an interest in the Lakers. LA is expected to be among the teams that’ll explore a possible trade with the Nets.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 3, 2023
Much has changed now, obviously. Irving is an All-Star starter once again. And, on top of that, he’s actually playing basketball now and hasn’t missed much of the season.
That Lakers offer is still likely on the table for the Nets. The pot might actually be a bit sweeter.
LeBron James wants Kyrie
During that time when Irving sought a trade, LeBron James seemed to have him at the top of his wish list, according to NBA Insider Marc Stein.
Stein reported in his column, at the time, that James wanted Irving “more than anyone.”
“James, I’m told, wants to see Irving in Lakerland more than anyone. What other team, furthermore, has a LeBron-sized personality with the experience to cope with all the chaos that comes with adding Kyrie? James, remember, has often thrived in chaos.”
That probably has not changed. I’m sure James would still welcome Irving on his team.
There's just not a ton of time to find anything else
Just think about the situation the Nets are in. They have to figure out what to do with their point guard.
Brooklyn isn’t without leverage in this situation. The team believes Irving will need them in the offseason if he chooses to leave for a sign-and-trade scenario as opposed to just leaving the team outright.
However, if they’d like to strike while the iron is hot and teams are more desperate, they only have six days to do so. It’s February 3 now when Irving reportedly requested his trade. The trade deadline is February 9. That’s just not a ton of time to put things together.
That’s why it helps to have a history with bidders. The Lakers and the Nets absolutely have that and it’ll be useful here.
The Lakers will probably offer the Nets two first round picks
I’m telling y’all, man. Russell Westbrook, a 2027 first and a 2029 first might actually get this done.
They’re calling the deal Ol’ Reliable.
Lakers fans hearing Kyrie Irving requested a trade pic.twitter.com/PFILvMaiWy
— Action Network (@ActionNetworkHQ) February 3, 2023
Which is totally fair. It’s completely ridiculous that this keeps getting floated around when nothing seems to happen surrounding it. But these are desperate times in a never-say-never league. We’ll see what goes down.
But if the Nets were to make any move at all here, I think the Lakers are probably the best bet.
