Right now, the Los Angeles Lakers are aggressively pursuing Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving via trade, and the two teams are reportedly having serious talks in order to make such a trade happen.
But just because they reportedly have “palpable optimism” that a deal will get done doesn’t necessarily mean that it will get done.
As they should, the Lakers appear to have a backup option if they don’t land Irving, and even if seems like a distant consolation prize, it could at least help move the needle somewhat.
This backup plan reportedly involves going after Eric Gordon, a veteran shooting guard who currently plays for the Houston Rockets.
McMen: Lakers plan B might be Buddy Hield or Eric Gordon if they can’t get Kyrie
— Ralph Mason (@Ralph_MasonJr) July 2, 2022
Gordon isn’t a facilitator like Irving or Russell Westbrook, but he can score, and he is an outside shooting threat.
He has a career scoring average of 16.4 points a game, and he put up 13.4 points per contest this past season for the Rockets.
His 3-point shooting accuracy has fluctuated over time, but he shot a stellar 41.2 percent from beyond the arc in 2022.
If Lakers fans have to suffer the letdown of Irving not joining the team, Gordon may hardly be an exciting option, but if he’s hot from the outside, he could help the team to a certain extent, at least offensively.
