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The Los Angeles Lakers have found themselves thrust into new trade rumors following Kyrie Irving’s decision to hand in a trade request to the Brooklyn Nets.
It would seem that Lakers legend and former front-office member, Magic Johnson, would be on board with a potential trade to acquire the superstar guard, with him taking to Twitter to share his approval.
“Personally, I’d love to see Kyrie in the purple and gold,” Johnson Tweeted.
Irving, 30, spent this past summer being linked with the Lakers, as many saw him as the ideal replacement for Russell Westbrook, yet a move failed to materialize, and Irving seemed willing to see out the remainder of his current contract in Brooklyn.
However, now that Irving has decided to ask out of his current situation, a reunion with LeBron James seems to be a logical next step, especially if he still plans to challenge for an NBA championship in the next couple of years.
Irving is currently averaging 27.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game while shooting 48.6% from the field, 37.4% from deep, and 88.3% from the free-throw line.
Jeanie Buss Understands LeBron James’ Frustration
This season has not gone how the Lakers expected things to play out. The franchise currently finds itself 13th in the Western Conference and has been dealing with injuries to key players for the majority of the season.
Of course, Los Angeles is also dealing with a disjointed roster and a lack of perimeter shooting, too. When speaking on K[no]w Mercy with Stephen A. Smith, Jeanie Buss shared her sympathy with LeBron James, commenting on his fierce drive to win and discussing the significant burden he’s been carrying for the team this season.
“I mean, unless he’s winning, he’s not going to be happy. That’s him. That’s what drives him. And I could see why he would be frustrated. We’re all frustrated with, you know, we’re down four starters, and he’s our only remaining starter, and he’s gotta show up and play. And, the burden’s on him,” Buss said.
Yet, should the Lakers acquire Irving, either at the trade deadline or during the summer, they should have enough high-end talent to compete with the best teams in the league, assuming everybody remains healthy.
Lakers Would Still Trade Russell Westbrook
According to Sam Amico of Hoops Wire, the Lakers could still be tempted to move on from Russell Westbrook, despite the impressive season he’s having since accepting a bench role earlier this season.
“The Lakers continue to search for trades centered on guards Russell Westbrook and Patrick Beverley…They have been in contact with the Hornets lately, sources said,” Amico wrote.
Should Los Angeles make a move to bring Irving to Los Angeles before the trade deadline slams shut, they will certainly need to find a new home for Westbrook, which could make their current due diligence become incredibly important.
However, it will be interesting to see if the front office waits things out to acquire Irving during the summer or makes a hard push to bring him in now in an attempt to turn their season around and appease a disgruntled LeBron James.