After superstar point guard Kyrie Irving requested a trade from the Brooklyn Nets on Friday, it appears that the Los Angeles Lakers are in the driver’s seat to acquire him.
The Lakers must move quickly if they want to make any trades before the NBA’s deadline of Feb. 9
With a 26-28 record, Los Angeles is in 12th place in the Western Conference and is not yet mathematically eliminated from playoff contention. They seem to think they are on the cusp of becoming title contenders again, and acquiring Irving could be the final piece of the puzzle.
After demanding to be traded from the Brooklyn Nets, Irving has been connected to a number of teams, including the Los Angeles Lakers.
Can you tell me how interested Kyrie Irving is in joining LeBron James in Los Angeles? If you ask Tristan Thompson, who played with them on the Cleveland Cavaliers, the answer is an emphatic “YES.”
In his latest appearance on SportsCenter, Thompson confirmed that he, too, had texted Kyrie about the possibility of a reunion between himself and LeBron, and that he had gotten the sense that the veteran guard was open to the idea.
Fans have speculated that the Lakers would offer Patrick Beverley and Lonnie Walker IV in a trade for All-Star Kyrie Irving.
“James-Davis-Irving would be the best trio in the league, and while the Lakers’ supporting cast obviously has certain limitations and glaring holes, a group of Joe Harris, Hachimura, Austin Reaves, Dennis Schröder, Thomas Bryant, Troy Brown Jr., Lonnie Walker IV and Patrick Beverley is solid enough that the Lakers can piece together a useful rotation,” per The Athletic’s Jovan Buha.
“Beverley and Walker IV could also be included in an Irving package or a separate deal to further upgrade the rotation, league sources tell The Athletic.” Buha added.
The team has reportedly been looking to upgrade from Beverley, who has been the subject of recent trade rumors. Since they acquired him in the offseason from the Utah Jazz, the team doesn’t seem to be happy with his performance. Given all of this, the possibility that Beverley could be part of a deal involving Irving is not all that surprising.
While the Lakers did acquire Walker in the offseason of 2017–18, the possibility that they would be willing to part ways with him may surprise some. For the first time this season, Walker has been mentioned in trade rumors.
Perhaps James, Davis, or Hachimura are the only players the Lakers would not be willing to part with in exchange for Irving. A trade involving Russell Westbrook seems likely.
It is now up to the fans to wait and see if the Nets will cave to Irving’s trade demand and if the Lakers will pounce.
