The Los Angeles Lakers were eliminated from the NBA playoffs, losing in five games to the Denver Nuggets. As the Lakers approach the offseason, they could look to add a third star to pair with Anthony Davis and LeBron James. Searching for that, Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report listed Kyrie Irving as a “top trade target” for the Lakers this offseason.
“It it feels like Irving has been forever linked to the Lakers, that’s because he kind of has. He shares a championship history with James and could create countless scoring chances for Davis,” Buckley wrote in his April 30 article exploring three trade targets for the Lakers. “Not to mention all the damage Irving does when dialing his own number (11th-most isolation points this season, per NBA.com).”
With Irving and the Dallas Mavericks still playing in the playoffs, and no guarantee that he wants to leave Dallas, Buckley wrote that the hang-up is availability.
“The potential hang-up, of course, is availability. It sure seems like Irving has a good thing going with Luka Dončić in Dallas and has no apparent incentive to look for the closest exit, Buckley wrote. “Could a premature playoff exit change Irving’s outlook, though? That hardly feels impossible.
“If L.A. sniffs even a hint of Irving’s availability this offseason, it should pounce. It’d be like guaranteeing this team the very best version of Russell every night, only with better handles, superior efficiency and a deeper scoring arsenal.”
Lakers are ‘Third Star Hunting’
Irving is an ideal name for the Los Angeles Lakers as Jovan Buha of The Athletic said the front office plans to go third-star hunting during the offseason.
“They are going third star hunting this off-season and we’ll see how that affects the DLO situation. You probably have to give up Austin in almost any third-star trade… A lot of different ways that can play out, but my understanding is yes, they are going third-star hunting,” Buha said on March 29.
The Lakers can trade up to three first-round picks this offseason. The Dallas Mavericks sent one first-round pick, two second-round picks, Spencer Dinwiddie, and Dorian Finney-Smith to the Brooklyn Nets for Irving in February of 2023. The Mavericks also received Markieff Morris.
If the Mavericks trade Irving for a similar value, if he does get moved, the Lakers would have enough picks to complete a deal.
Buckley wrote that the Lakers “need to upgrade their talent” and might be able to do with their trade assets.
“If the Lakers hope to avoid further disappointments in the future, they should plan on getting active on the trade market this offseason,” Buckley wrote. “They need to upgrade their talent around James and Anthony Davis, and they just might have enough trade chips to reel in a big fish.”
What Kyrie Irving Would Bring the Lakers
Irving, an eight-time All-Star, has played well for the Dallas Mavericks. He’s averaging 25.6 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 5.2 assists. Irving’s efficiency has also been impressive, shooting 49.7% from the field, 41.1% from three-point range, and 90.5% from the free-throw line.
Adding an efficient 25-plus point-per-game scorer to pair with James and Davis takes some pressure off them in the Los Angeles Lakers offense. James and Irving have also played together, winning a championship together in 2016 with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
