Lakers: Why LA Doesn't Have to Make a Trade to Get Kyrie Irving This Summer
The Lakers are lean on trade chips which is why a play for Nets guard Kyrie Irving would prove difficult. Presumably, the Lakers would have to bring a third team in to help facilitate at trade for the mercurial guard. Or would they?
Kyrie picking up his player option for next year and then pushing for a trade to LA would, based on recent NBA history, be the more conventional way to try to relocate.
That being said, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski suggested in a Wednesday article that based on Kyrie's unique personality, one can't entirely rule out the idea of him signing for the taxpayer mid-level exception ($6.4M) with the Lakers.
"For anyone to say with absolute confidence that Irving wouldn't choose the Lakers' $6 million taxpayer exception over his guaranteed $36 million with Brooklyn, well, it would just be a guess."
Woj also discussed Kyrie losing about $17M in salary due to missed games from his vaccination status this past season and losing his shoe endorsement deal with Nike in the process.
Marc Stein also explored the possibility of Kyrie surprising the NBA world and signing on the cheap for a LeBron reunion.
"The idea of Irving declining his player option and essentially playing for $30 million less in L.A., even after the $15-plus million he willingly sacrificed last season by refusing the COVID-19 vaccine and missing the first 35 games of the season, just doesn't seem plausible. Then again: If any player is capable of shocking the NBA universe and accepting such a pay cut, isn’t Irving that guy?"
Just to keep score here, Kyrie would have to: take a massive pay cut, ditch Kevin Durant, and integrate himself onto a team with LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Russell Westbrook.
That is unless the Lakers, on the small likelihood that Kyrie comes to LA, decide to finally trade Russell Westbrook.
The NBA offseason, is alive and well Lakers fans.