NBA Trade Rumors: In what should come as a surprise to no one, the Brooklyn Nets reportedly won’t trade Kyrie Irving to the Los Angeles Lakers without picks coming back.
The expectation is that at some point during the offseason, perhaps sooner rather than later, the Brooklyn Nets will trade both Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. However, at least for now, there isn’t much traction when it comes to Durant. That could change at any moment, though.
When it comes to Kyrie, though, while there isn’t much of a market (most of it due to his maneuvering over the last year), there’s one natural trade partner for the Nets to work with. And that’s the Los Angeles Lakers.
Kyrie wants to be on the Lakers, reportedly, and the Lakers want Kyrie – or, need him. The odds are stacked against Los Angeles (mostly due to the awful fit that Russell Westbrook proved to be alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis) and Kyrie seems to be the only realistic chance for the team to make a significant improvement this offseason.
However, there’s one big issue that remains. And it’s the fact that the Lakers don’t have much in the way of assets to offer the Nets for Kyrie.
According to a recent report, if the Nets are going to send Kyrie to Los Angeles, it’s going to take a first-round pick, or two, from the Lakers.
By CBA rule, the Lakers have the freedom to trade their 2027 and 2029 first-round picks. Though, it remains to be seen how much the Lakers are willing to give up for Kyrie. Giving up both of those draft picks would mean the Lakers won’t have any first-round picks to use via trade for the foreseeable future.
And considering that there isn’t much of a bidding war taking place for Kyrie, it wouldn’t make much sense for the Lakers to go all-in on a pursuit at the moment. Who will win this bidding war of chicken?