How the Lakers could trade for Kyrie Irving, he explained

On Monday, Athletic’s Shams Charania began the 2022 NBA Draft Week with a report on who could be the most polarizing player of the season (and recent NBA memory) in Kyrie Irving. And, as almost always happens, the Lakers were involved in the most tempting move possible of the summer, as Charania noted that the team could be an “interested suitor” trying to get Kyrie back with Brooklyn Nets. “deadlock.”

Clippers and Knicks were also mentioned as potential stakeholders, as the free agency has now become officially interesting, as Kyrie Irving can change teams.

But given the fact that the Lakers have far surpassed the payroll for the 2022-23 season, how can they get Irving even if they want to?

The stars of Lakers and Nets are exchanging

The only way this would work would be for the Nets to sign a contract and exchange Irving for Russell Westbrook with the Lakers. Assuming that Irving relinquishes its $ 36.5 million player selection to a higher average annual contract, his salary would be almost equal to that of Westbrook if he actually opted with his Lakers for his $ 47 million player opportunity.

Both Irving and Westbrook have until June 29 to choose or deselect their 2022-23 players.

At the moment in their respective careers, even though Irving has an occasional crazy approach to appearing to play basketball, Irving is a much better player on your team than Westbrook. This means that the Lakers are likely to sweeten the deal with both 2027 and 2029 first-round selections (the only first-round players they will be able to trade this season).

For this trade example (as well as the ones below), we now assume that Irving waives the maximum deal before trading begins. Athletic spokesman Fred Katz noted that the 30-year-old man’s four-year maximum salary would start at about $ 42.7 million and rise every year (phew). Given Irving’s unreliability, the Lakers will hopefully be able to make a smaller deal in less than a year, but … expect worse.

But maybe it’s not just the first two for Russ and Kyrie. The Nets may not want to pay the $ 36 million they owe Joe Harris in the coming seasons, given his injured season of 2021-2022. Trading below would save Nets a lot money after the interim period of 2023.

NOTE. These Fanspo commercial machine graphics have the first round options for 2026 and 2028 and the first rounds for 2029 and 2029.

This type of two-team trade between Lakers and Nets is possible, and yes, I still think the Lakers should save for the first two, even if they add Talen Horton-Tucker. I think his perceived value in the league has plummeted, and that $ 10.2 million annual salary doesn’t look as good as Kyle Kuzma’s $ 13 million extension when he signed with his team.

While it’s technically possible, I don’t see any situation in God’s Green Country where the Nets would actually allow Westbrook to play for their team, even if it’s only one season. While their aspirations for the championship may be only slightly more plausible than those of the Lakers, it is their goal as long as Kevin Durant is on their list. And oh yes, the imperfect history of KD and Westbrook together is likely to make reunion even less likely …

With three teams

This leads me to what I think is the only real possibility that the Lakers will be able to put Kyrie Irving next to LeBron James and Anthony Davis: an exchange of three teams.

In these examples below, the Nets and Lakers are capable rope in the third team whose privilege to take Bringing Westbrook to town. Like no team can make a deal without at least feeling that they will receive something in return, these clubs will join the party to ease their paychecks in future seasons or to rework and (or both) rebuild for future draft options.

It has been reported that the Hornets (and many subsequent teams) want to make deals this season. They may (or may not) re-enter into a huge contract with Miles Bridges and will have to free up money to enter into such a deal, especially if they do not expect a championship candidate in the near future.

They step into the mix to give Nets a new baller in Terry Rozier, while releasing Gordon Hayward’s hefty contract, which is two years away. They are also throwing in PJ Washington, which is not currently being paid a lot, but needs a new contract in 2023. Bleacher Reporter Jake Fischer recently announced that the Hornets were expected to evaluate the success of other teams. interest in Rozier and Washington second report From Brian Windhorst, they seem desperate to deal with Hayward in every way possible.

The Lakers go to the Hornets first because he doesn’t get anything but Westbrook in return, while another first-round player goes to the Nets for the simple fact that none of the men they return are close to Kyrie’s talent.

Below are two more examples of a possible three-team deal that would lead to Kyrie Lakers, one involving Pacers and the other having fun with the Wizards.

In a deal with Pacers, they eventually exchange rumors about a big man after years of rumors for Myles Turner, while losing Malcolm Brogdon’s long and expensive contract. Athletic Shams Charania recently said the team was “seriously discussing deals”, including the two. They will receive the first two awards for their problems, while Nets will replace Kyrie in Brogdon with the best defensive center KD has played with since joining Nets.

As for the Wizards deal … it’s a bit of a blockbuster. The Wizards signed a contract and will replace Bradley Beal after he relinquished his 2022-2023. from the player selection of the year, sending him to Netsi, which is their best return for Kyrie. The Lakers send the first two Wizards, as does the Nets, while Ish Smith goes to Brooklyn’s payroll to make it work.

Trading for four teams

It is difficult enough to make a three-team deal. But hey, I wanted to point out the wildest scenario imaginable that could satisfy this already insane situation. And honestly, I don’t think it’s a four-team shift below that nuts.

All Lakers trading partners will receive in this transaction:

• The Nets will be dieting for Kyrie Irving’s Malcolm Brogdon and the Bulls’ Nikola Vucevic for offensive power.
• The Pacers will cut Brogdon’s salary, while getting three first-round players, including one from the Bulls in 2023. Indiana could then take the opportunity to use some combination of these choices in conjunction with its own choice to rise to next year’s draft.
• The Bulls will get the defense center they seem to be looking for this summer, given their rumors that they are trying to acquire Jazz Rudy Gobert.

What is likely?

Unfortunately, I cannot convince myself of any of the above taking place. The three-team deal involving Hornets and Pacers seems to be the most feasible way for Lakers to acquire Kyrie Irving, but even those deals depend on factors beyond the team’s control.

Some of the pieces above can be distributed before the Lakers and Nets can even trade with Russi and Kyrie. The 2022 NBA draft is on Thursday, and the two will not have to decide on their player selections until Tuesday, June 29th. This means that some, if not most, of the complex transactions I created above are not even available to the Lakers. Networks by the end of the week as the market heats up around the draft.

Another factor is that the Clippers and Knicks have much more assets than the Lakers to try to complete the Kyrie exchange. Either of them could Complete a simple two-team deal between himself and Nets, while the Knicks could simply give up pay if Kyrie quits.

But who knows, the Clippers and Knicks may not want to add Kyriet as desperately as the Lakers. Also, Kyrie may not even want to go to these places in the trade, threatening to give up and leave Netsi, the team will not get anything in return.

And if any of the teams above fail to make their first-choice deals during Thursday’s draw, see this weekend and early next week that the Lakers are trying to bring a third team against Russi.

If this type of twitching starts leading to one of the above transactions, you can commend me for knowing me on the Twitter link below.

For more information Lakers talk, subscribe to the Silver Screen and Rolli podcast iTunes, Spotify, Seamstress or Google Podcasts. You can follow Donny on Twitter at @donny_mchenry.