The Lakers continue to focus on Kyrie Irving, but it’s unlikely that the Nets will give him up without at least one first-round pick in return, Marc Stein writes in his latest column for Substack. Irving was in L.A. this week to watch the WNBA’s Sparks, which Stein characterizes as making “his current presence in Los Angeles loudly known.”
Although Irving would clearly like to reunite with former teammate LeBron James, Stein says the Lakers aren’t making any promises behind the scenes. General manager Rob Pelinka said in a TV interview Friday that he’s still working to upgrade the roster, but league rules prevent him from speaking specifically about a possible deal for Irving.
The Lakers’ concerns about overspending could be a major obstacle to getting a trade done, Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated explained on Ryen Rusillo’s podcast (hat tip to Eric Eulau of SI’s Lakers page). Although they’re among the highest-valued teams in the NBA, Mannix calls the Lakers “a mom-and-pop organization masquerading as a multi-billion dollar franchise” and says they’re reluctant to assume all the costs that would be necessary to convince Brooklyn to make a deal.
“There’s not a huge appetite in L.A. at this point to take on all the money they’re going to have to take on to be a deeper-into-the-luxury-tax team and fork over a first-round pick in return,” Mannix said. “As long as that is the asking price, the Lakers are not going to get their hands on Kyrie Irving.”
There’s more from Los Angeles:
- Pelinka’s next priority will be to find more shooters, Stein adds in the same piece. The Lakers have been linked to the Pacers‘ Buddy Hield and the Rockets‘ Eric Gordon, who were both clients of Pelinka when he was an agent.
- A source tells Stein that L.A. probably doesn’t have enough assets to get both Hield and Myles Turner from Indiana. Reports have described them as “prime targets” if the Lakers can’t put together a deal for Irving.
- Pelinka’s willingness to meet Brooklyn’s price for Irving could be influenced by James’ upcoming extension date, Stein adds. Starting August 4, James will be eligible to sign a two-year extension worth about $100MM, and Stein suggests that Pelinka might want to have a major deal in place by then to ensure that his star player is happy.
The Lakers are the guy who eats himself to 500 lbs and then thinks switching his choice beverage to diet coke vs regular instead of taking a more dedicated road to health. Spend the freaking pick and get Kyrie. Move Westbrook and give yourself a legit chance to compete this upcoming season.
The Lakers are like a boomer trying to sell his rusting “classic” car that has not run in 20 years, telling people no lowball offers, “I know what it is worth!!” Nothing can please me more than their ineptitude.
not only that, but LeBron breaks down (naturally) every season. father time is undefeated
Not only Lebron can breakdown , KYRIE is the biggest injury risk if Lakers ever got him, and of course AD, which goes without saying….
Lakers Hollywood signed those free agents this summer
I can’t believe it
1982 VW Rabbit. No doors, tires, or engine. Covered in rust. $15,000 FIRM.
Switching from Beer to Vodka worked for Ed Sheeran, have faith.
I see they want Hield, Kyrie and Myles Turner centered around a Westbrook trade and their 2 firsts available till the next decade!
@Knicksfans
3 main issues
Not good enough to beat Warriors and Clippers
Luxury tax – Joe Harris
Future Draft picks are the most important to Lakers
There’s no way Westbrook stays in LA. He and LeBron attended the same game in the Summer League and sat far apart from each other.
Imagine going through another season together. I don’t think so.
I hope the Kyrie deal goes down so we get to watch the LAL battle it out in the West. The Warriors did it this year, running back the winning formula. Should be fun.
Why not trade James?
He would have to renew first, he is currently a free agent, isn’t he?
No he’s not, he’s up for an extension but he’s under contract this year
Who cares, what the lakers want. They really have nothing of value to offer since they made the big AD move. Irving is a top 10 player, but it’s on his time when he wants to be.
Lakers don’t have a 1st round pick to offer until 2027. That is 5 years from now. Lakers have nothing of value to offer. Two horrific back-to-back offseasons
To be fair that will probably be a really good pick. They are very close to being a really, really bad team.
Who are the other nine of your top ten?
Irving has never been a top 10 player but compared to Russ he may be.
If Nets want to dump Joe Harris contract to Lakers, Lakers would say no because they have tight luxury tax budget.
According to the article
Lakers’ concerns about overspending could be a major obstacle to getting a trade done
Ex
Lakers did not want Alex Caruso last season.
Is $80 million luxury tax too much for Lakers next season?
Lakers get Irving and Joe Harris
Pacers get Westbrook
Nets get players from Pacers
Maybe
The Lakers owners are not confident that they can defeat Warriors and Clippers.
Wouldn’t the added publicity driven revenue caused by Kyries addition and the Lakers presumably being more competitive offset at least some of the $80 million luxury tax bill??
The Lakers do NOT have the assets to get Kyrie! Brooklyn is NOT interested in a 1st round pick 5 years from now in 2027. Joe Harris has never been on the table. He is one of the best 3-point shooters in the league. Pacers are in a rebuild. Why the hell would they want Westbrook and his $47 million salary for one year?????
Your wrong. Literally according to every legitimate source. Lakers will be owfuo in 2027 that is a super valuable pick.
@animate
To have LBJ sign a two year extension is VERY valuable to the Lakers. 1 lottery pick that might not even be in the top 8 losses out to the potential of a LBJ/AD/Motivated Kyrie hands down and if it works maybe a longer term of thr threesome comes about?
It’s a gamble. They could change their roster by then or someone unhappy wants to play in LA. Westbrook salary is higher than Kyries so that’s a bigger tax bill. That’s why Brooklyn would want to attach Harris w/ Kyrie and 1st rd pick(s). Maybe a few teams may take a chance on Kyrie and outbid LA. Chicago could do something as they’re stuck as a mid a seed. Although I could see Brooklyn riding the season out
Nets WANT to include Harris.
Big lose for pacers…they are in rebuild mode.oh, its sillyman idea, now i understand.
Yeah in no trade scenario for Indiana are they not getting draft picks.
Lakers can’t beat Warriors, Clippers… Denver, PHX, NO, MN, Dallas, Memphis, …. As presently constructed Lakers 9/10 play in tournament.. PLEASE NOTE: teams in random order in West…
I hope the Lakers fall flat on their face again this year and Lebron walks away from them. The Buss siblings fight over ownership again. They will never be their dad and should sell the team. The Warriors need a LA rival not a doormat.
LAL won a ring 2 years ago, if that’s a doormat, what do you think of the other 27 teams that haven’t won any in the last 2 years, right?
Nobody except Laker fans consider that a real championship.
I’m not a Lakers fan and I consider it a real championship. They beat the teams in front of them and the other teams in the bubble had a chance to do the same.
I don’t understand the problem. Shorter schedule? The other teams also had the shorter schedule. Bubble atmosphere with no home court? The other teams had the bubble atmosphere and no home court. No asterisk, complete, legitimate trophy winner.
Bla bla bla
They also don’t have prime Jerry West running the team.
Jerry West is probably the best basketball GM or team builder in the history of the league. Proved it after the Lakers as well with the Grizzlies and then the Warriors. Massive respect to the logo.
Arnold Jacob “Red” Auerbach
You might want to Google him.
The winningest front office executive in North American sports history with 16 titles to his name as coach or general manager
A Bklyn kid who just loved the game.
You’re right Al, there’s no disputing the legend of Red Auerbach.
I guess I’m just thinking of the last 50 years in the NBA and when there was more than eight teams. But yeah Red stands alone as an NBA coach and executive. No doubt about it.
Should Kyrie Irving opt out of Nets contract and sign $6 million MLE with Lakers?
I don’t blame Irving.
Why?
Lillard is Mr. $60 million.
Players talk about winning is the most important thing but they max guys are lying. Money is king just like 90% of the population. I would do the same.
99.9% of the population
Too late
He already opted in, buddy. No takesies backsies.
Do you even understand how contracts work?
I’m just curious how the Lakers get…anyone. Westbrook is the expiring deal. But no one really wants him. The league isn’t hurting for decent PGs right now. So what is the point of trading for him? You’re not getting a prime asset from them. A first 5 years from now? THT? None of that says “give up your good player”. On top of it, you’re not getting lower on the cap. So I ask, why would a team do that?
@Kyle
because nobody wants to trade for Kyrie except the Lakers and bringing back Kyrie seem untenable to the Nets? There’s just as small of a market for Westbrook than there is for Kyrie. And although I’m not much of a Westbrook fan and as much as I’m a huge Kyrie fan no one is going to be worried about whether Westbrook is going to play his heart out wherever he goes. With Kyrie, there’s now reason to wonder if it’s not a desired location.
Brk is just trying to make lemonade out of some lemons. The 27 unprotected Laker 1st has some good value to it
What both parties are doing now is just smoke to try and get better value from the opposing side on the side pieces to the deal. Jeanie best watch her steps tho ;she’s playing with fire here that goes far beyond Kyrie Irving
I only hope Eric Gordon and even worse Buddy Hield and his near 20 mill cap hit next year are just smokescreen here for Sean Marks
Would be a wholly waste of capital that doesn’t move the needle a spec. Feels like smoke tho but I don’t 100% trust the front office these days so a tad concerning
What the hell have the Lakers to give to get Gordon or Hield?
The Nets have no leverage wit Kyrie. He only has a contract through this year. Take THT and send back Joe for the swap. Move on! 34 KD is not worth as much as they think. Ayton is worth KD. IMO
As if the Lakers have leverage with Westbrook?
Lol!
The Nets don’t need no leverage they could do a john wall situation and have him sit out the whole year. They’ll get plenty of assets in the KD trade. They are under no obligation to help Kyrie or the Lakers.
Just add that Kyrie is owed a lot less than Westbrook so why would they spend $10 million more on a player that will not help you win more games? You wouldn’t
Who cares about what GM BRON BRON wants. He has ran this team into the ground. $100 million for 2 years? Wow and be left with what when that contract is up. He has screwed this team into the ground they are done for another 10 years.
So Lebron is threatening not to sign an extension if the Lakers don’t get the Kymie Irving trade done.
Desperate times in LA.
Lebronze does this every time his contract is up. Make the team better or he jets. He sees a fragile AD and Westbrick as the 2 next best players on a team with no picks and very few players that other teams would want to trade for.
Los Lakers necesitan reparar motores, los actuales tienen muchas millas ya gastas mucho aceite.
Lakers getting Kyrie and Seth/Harris versus getting Rozier and Hayward to me is a tough call. I think both teams want 27 and 29 picks included no matter what.
I think Harris is a terrible contract given his ankle injury.
And the Nets could honestly do better on a Seth Curry stand alone trade.
If you’re the Lakers you have zero assets this year to then Move Harris, you’d have to find a 3rd team and do a trade now vs down the road.
Something like… Nets get Brick and THT two 1sts, Spurs get Harris and Sixers 24 1st which will be late 1st. Lakers get Kyrie, Richardson and McBuckets.
Key to Kyrie to LAL is Danny Ainge.
To Brooklyn: Mike Conley, Walter Kessler
To Lakers: Kyrie Irving, Michael Beasley
To Utah: Russell Westbrook, Lakers picks
Nets want to put a competitive team on the floor but don’t want Russ part of that squad or even in locker room. Culture change in Brooklyn.
Danny Ainge offloading salary to rebuild the Jazz.
Mike Conley 2 years remaining and 1 season away from AS appearance. Conley perfect fit for Nets and they need a starting PG to replace Kyrie. Nets desperate for size. Take on Kessler in lieu of 1st round pick demand for Kyrie.
Lakers 1st to Nets is parlayed to Utah along with multiple (4) 2nd round picks with swap rights for Malik Beasley. Beasley is not going to be part of the rebuild in Utah. He has 1 yr remaining after 22-23 season. Lakers desperate for talented depth and be happy to take Beasley.
Utah (likely) waives Russ but by taking on his expiring contract and trading away the contracts of Conley and Beasley provides Danny Ainge with major cap room to sign FA’s in 2023.
*Because Beasley recently traded to Utah via Minnesota this deal cannot be official until Sept 8 2022. Well before training camp.
This is a deal that provides quality return to Nets for Kyrie. The Lakers get their man in Kyrie plus a shooter in Beasley. Utah clears the books and gets more draft pick capital to rebuild around Donovan Mitchell.
For Nets and Lakers to make a Kyrie-Russ deal which meets the conditions for both teams they need Danny Ainge to facilitate.
Here is how you failed in the trade rumor. There is 0 reason for Utah Jazz to trade Kessler for draft picks since they just drafted him. So unless you are saying Utah gets 6 first round draft picks it makes 0 sense for Utah. Why would Nets give up a bunch of draft picks?
Wrong. Let me explain the concept:
By being the middleman for a Russ-Kyrie trade Utah gets under the cap for free agency next summer by trading away Conley and Beasley’s contracts.
Jazz get picks as compensation for facilitating a trade where Kyrie goes to the Lakers and the Nets don’t take Russ back in return.
Nets get back value for Kyrie in 2 years of Conley and rights to Kessler who went to Utah in Gobert trade. Not a top prospect, but Nets need big men.
How many picks does Danny Ainge need?
Most of them be traded to upgrade roster or used as leverage on draft night. Ainge got 4 1st and Kessler for Gobert and a Nets 1st for Royce O’Neale this offseason.
In this trade Lakers send Jazz 1st for getting them Kyrie and bunch of 2nds for Beasley, who’s a salary dump for Utah.
Real prize for Utah is getting under the cap. Ainge better chances landing marquee players with cap space than he does through trades or the draft.
I don’t get the Lakers hesitation. Trust a selfish player to be who they are. Kyrie is likely to have been humbled because the Nets didn’t give him what he wanted. Teams are starting to push back against player demands. Kyrie wants one more big payday. So long as he’s healthy he’ll play his heart out this year. If the team isn’t in contention but he’s healthy and played well then just admit every contender would give their left nut to get a talent like him for a playoff run. They’ll be able to see he’s committed. The salary would be just a portion and can probably clear salary off the books. No risk of Kyrie being Kyrie because he’s going to have a chip on his shoulder to earn that next big deal. the draft slot may not be as high if they themselves are not contenders but it might be a pick sooner than 2027.
I can’t believe LeBron would even begin to entertain the idea of playing with Kyrie again after the Cleveland breakup.
I could see Kevin Love signing with the Lakers next season.
Zach LaVine is the only deal that helps the Lakers. Otherwise run it back with Russ and LeBron takes the back seat with Westbrook running point and LeBron playing on the wing.
Darvin Ham is already playing patsy, thinking the solution is Westrbrook coming off the bench. The solution is for LeBron to play on the wing and for LeBron to play second fiddle to Westbrook, and for LeBron to prioritize defense first.
Westbrook is the point guard, LeBron is a power forward. Its that simple.
K Love is healthy and has a lot of game left. Lakers make sense but I can see him go to the Warriors or Blazers too. He needs to get out of Cleveland.
Why would you take the ball out of Lebron’s hands, who is better than Westbrick in every imaginable way, and put it in Russ’? Westbrick has some of the worst ball handling in the league. They literally made blooper reels out of his turnovers they were that bad.
Well that was oppositional, bwmiller.
I thought I was by saying the Lakers will wait until next year for having Irving instead of Westbrook.
Posters do not seem to want to wait, even though the Lakers FO are already planning around that outcome and the Nets are hoping Durant settles down. The Buss group is giving “mom and pop” a good name here. I don’t know why so many are mad at them for their patience… It’s Buss money, a Buss will decide how it’s spent.
Nothing big will happen and anyone but Westy will be PG.
LeBron >>>> to Cavs
show him who is running things here.
Love, Sexton, Okoro and picks ……