Best 2022 NBA Trades Scenarios for the Los Angeles Lakers
The 2021-22 NBA season was a rough one for the Los Angeles Lakers and the Brooklyn Nets. Both teams shared a fair share of the limelight early on with imposing lineups. However, things went south for the star-studded teams. The Lakers failed to make it to the Play-In Tournament, while the Nets suffered an embarrassing 4-0 series sweep at the hands of the Celtics in the first round of the 2022 NBA Playoffs.
Recently, rumors of LeBron James reuniting with Kyrie Irving surfaced. It’s been six years since the two helped the Cleveland Cavaliers secure its first-ever NBA Championship. The Lakers reportedly made a pursuit for Irving at the trade deadline. In turn, this sparked plenty of excitement for Lakers fans craving for a more competent lineup and a better 2022-23 season.
How can the Los Angeles Lakers bring together the two NBA Champions?
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Kyrie Irving for Russell Westbrook
Multiple outlets reported the possibility of the Nets being open to moving Kyrie, especially with Ben Simmons now part of the lineup. Some Lakers front office members considered trading Irving in the middle of the year. The agreement is likely to feature an interesting mix of players. Russell Westbrook is a probable part of the deal, reuniting him with former Oklahoma Thunder teammate Kevin Durant.
Since the Westbrook and James duo hardly had any impact this season, it’s interesting to look back at how well James and Irving worked together. They had great success during their time on the Cleveland Cavaliers, and many believe that the pairing would be a better fit if the Lakers try to push this deal forward.
The idea behind trading Westbrook was to give the Lakers more ball-handler options. Irving also eases the shot-creation burden the team faced this season. Irving is championship material at the same time. Although there was very little time to make the trade happen before the deadline, this has better chances of materializing come mid-season.
Breaking up the Davis-James duo for greener pastures
The disastrous 2021-22 NBA season was an eye-opener for the Lakers. No situation is too radical for the franchise to consider at this point in time. After securing huge names like LeBron James, Russell Westbrook, and Anthony Davis, the team somehow managed to end up at the No. 11 seed by the end of the regular season.
The question “how can they improve” surrounds the team. They have little cap space and even tighter draft capital. The limited desirable trade chips of the Lakers lead us to believe that a Davis-Irving trade remains a reasonable deal.
Anthony Davis faced injury issues since joining the Los Angeles Lakers. With an aging LeBron James who wants to secure another championship before retiring, it’s worth looking into a more durable lineup that could withstand the regular season. Davis managed to show up in only 40 games in the 2021-22 season. This left a gaping hole in the team’s offense and defense. Ultimately, the trade could trigger a better scoring duo in James and Irving while acquiring a healthier big man to cover for Davis without the costly price tag.
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