Lakers: NBA Insider Discusses LA Trading Russell Westbrook for Kyrie Irving
'Tis the season for Lakers trade rumors! So far, the two big names that have been continuously spun through the proverbial Lakers rumor mill have been Bulls swingman Zach LaVine and Nets guard Kyrie Irving.
Of the two All-Stars, the wild Irving speculation has generally garnered more intrigue since, unlike hypothetically acquiring LaVine, there's a relative greater chance that Brooklyn might be willing than to bring Russell Westbrook on board in exchange for jettisoning the ever-complicated Kyrie Irving.
A report in late May by Kristian Winfield of the NY Daily News stating that Brooklyn is "outright unwilling to give him [Irving] a long-term extension" added plenty of fuel to the fire to the idea of a hypothetical Irving trade for LA.
In a recent appearance on The Herd with Colin Cowherd, The Athletic's Bill Oram thinks there's some logic behind a hypothetical Westbrook-for-Irving trade.
"I don't think it's nuts. I don't know that it's going to happen, but from a logical standpoint it makes sense. From a logical standpoint, the Nets are absolutely sick of the Kyrie Irving experience. The Lakers are sick of the Russell Westbrook experience. That said, the Nets know they have the better player and the better asset despite all of his idiosyncrasies."
Oram hinted that the Lakers likely wouldn't be able to simply swap one disgruntled star guard for another. Oram's comments leads one to think that the Lakers would probably have to sweeten a potential deal, either with draft picks, which LA is a bit lean on, or additional young talent, which they're also lean on.
Despite their inability to win a championship together in Oklahoma City, and Kevin Durant marooning Westbrook on the Thunder in the summer of 2016 when he signed with the Warriors, Oram thinks Durant could be open to Brooklyn bringing in his old teammate.
"Lebron and Kyrie, KD and Russ, those are relationships that go really, really deep. So if you're looking for sign off by the superstars you would have to think you're going to get it there."
That being said, the Lakers reporter highlighted how the deal makes much more sense for LA than it does for Brooklyn. Oram explained how Brooklyn "can't win [a championship] with KD and Russ", but that the Lakers would be "first in line" to make a push for Irving if he's available.
Irving has a $36.5M player option for next season and that's where things get complicated. The Lakers can't outright sign Irving with Westbrook, who's going to opt into his $47M player option for next season, but the two teams could facilitate a sign-and-trade.
