If You're the Lakers, Do You Trade for Kyrie or Charlotte Role Players?

[Harry Garris]

Neither are going to happen but if I have the choice.. I'm offended by the question. Kyrie by miles.

Kyrie's more talented - but if you have Kyrie then by necessity you have to fill out the rest of the roster with guys playing for the minimum. Which means either over the hill veterans or undrafted players. That team would be 3 stars, none of which have shown the ability to stay healthy for a full year, surrounded by a bunch of below average level players who can't hold up defensively.

No matter how great Lebron and Kyrie are, to me that sounds like the 30th ranked defense in the NBA. Which means no shot of competing for the title.

[Dupp]

What do the lakers have to trade? Are teams really wanting westbrick?

[Dubnation]

Funny thing is it wouldn’t matter at all. Lakers are done as a contender for a while

Not so fast. They said the same thing about the Dubs who went from worst to first in a year or 2. Both Lakers and Dubs have endured the injury curse. Who knows what happens when the Lakers get past their turn at injury purgatory.

[Wallace_Wallace]

kyrie man the disrespect. he has equal or better talent than curry.

Brooklyn should call up Golden State and offer Kyrie for Steph straight up, it'd be a steal for the Warriors.

Spoiler:

green font.

[MindState]

Russ value gotta be sky high if multiple teams are trying to trade solid pieces and/or stars for him.

[Free Rider]

I don't know why anyone would want to get in business with Kyrie at this point. To me he's much more of a nightmare than Westbrook, so the Lakers will only be trading one never-ending drama for another. Whatever issues I have with Westbrook at least he isn't an unreliable headcase. The fact that the Nets aren't willing to give Kyrie a longterm contract despite his proven on-court talent should tell you everything you need to know. Teams usually do everything they can to retain a player of Kryie's caliber and yet the Nets seems happy to trade him.

[nzahir]

Kyrie.....

Say its Kyrie and Oubre to LA
Rozier, Hayward and 2 1sts to BKN
Russ and a 2nd or two (from BKN and or LA) to CHA

Some framework like this

Say its Russ and 2 1sts for Kyrie and a salary filler

Kyrie, Reaves?/Mle SG, Bron, AD, Vet min C or a Stretch 5 like Bamba for the MLE
Nunn, THT, Oubre, Melo/Gabriel, Dwight?
Stanley Johnson

I would hope the salary filler would be a more useful guy, but just depends on the teams involved

Real contender there imo.....but health is a key ofc

[dockingsched]

That hornets is so damn horrible for the Lakers, it’s mind boggling lol.

[dockingsched]

What do the lakers have to trade? Are teams really wanting westbrick?

If it helps, think of Westbrook as just an expiring contract.

Would the hornets want to clear their books by the end of season by dumping Hayward and Rozier too? They can only wish.

[Dino353]

Rozier was making 4-5 threes every night for the Hornets which is what the Lakers need in their backcourt, a point guard that can actually shoot and make jumpers consistently unlike Russ.

[giberish]

Assuming that:

Charlotte would deal Hayward and Rozier for Westbrook and minor assets (2nds/cash sort of things) for the salary relief next season.
BK would only trade Irving for Westbrook if LAL add in all their tradable picks (so 2 unprotected 1sts and likely 2 swaps as well).
Irving only comes on something like a 4 yr/$180M+ contract (either S&T or opt-in, trade and then extend).

Then I'd easily choose the Charlotte option for the Lakers. Why?

The Lakers aren't contending for a title either way. LeBron isn't the best player in the league anymore and he'll be another year older next season. The team's depth is guaranteed bad with mostly min salary guys. The very rare healthy, in-form Irving with a reasonably healthy AD can get them over .500 but still a long ways from a title. The Charlotte duo also leaves them thin, especially with Haywood's limited minutes availability. Their upside isn't as high with the Charlotte group but that's 1st round and out upside vs a slight chance at the 2nd round with Irving. Still the playoff odds are around the same and the downside with Irving is lower.

The long-term cost of the Charlotte guys is far lower. Sure you've got a $30M 1 year bad deal in Hayward after this year, but that's minor compared to the 3yrs, $45M/yr (or more) owed Irving. You'd also be getting close to the point where you have all your own 1sts to start a credible team building, while dealing for Irving pushes that WAY out.

[amcoolio]

Rozier is a good player on a decent contract, just a bad fit with LaMelo...LaMelo needs a Lonzo Ball/Dyson Daniels/Khris Middleton type next to him that has size and defensive ability, neither of which Rozier has

[JB2]

Neither are going to happen but if I have the choice.. I'm offended by the question. Kyrie by miles.

Kyrie's more talented - but if you have Kyrie then by necessity you have to fill out the rest of the roster with guys playing for the minimum. Which means either over the hill veterans or undrafted players. That team would be 3 stars, none of which have shown the ability to stay healthy for a full year, surrounded by a bunch of below average level players who can't hold up defensively.

No matter how great Lebron and Kyrie are, to me that sounds like the 30th ranked defense in the NBA. Which means no shot of competing for the title.

Let's assume Kyrie opts in for a trade and somehow Westbrook + picks can fetch Kyrie via a 3 team deal, Lakers are left with:

Min, Min
AD, Min, Gabriel
LeBron, THT, Stanley
tMLE, Reaves, Min
Kyrie, Nunn, Min

+ 35

You've got a monster trio when healthy (and focused). 6th man = Nunn. Reaves regular rotation guard.

Does Gary Harris take tMLE? Oladipo? Monk and then start Reaves for more D?
Potential minimum guys: Delon Wright, Jevon Carter, Danuel House, Damian Jones, Tony Snell, Tristan Thompson, etc.

I don't think it's likely at all a Kyrie trade can./will happen. But if it did and you were fortunate with some guys taking discounts to clearly compete for a title, perhaps they can build something special.

[Dupp]

What do the lakers have to trade? Are teams really wanting westbrick?

If it helps, think of Westbrook as just an expiring contract.

Would the hornets want to clear their books by the end of season by dumping Hayward and Rozier too? They can only wish.

I can see that but how is the Kyrie thing plausible?

[lonzo_pelota]

Only loser in all of this is Malik Monk , he's obviously not a Klutch client

[robbie84]

Gordon Hayward + Rozier or Kyrie?

I'm amazed how many people would take Kyrie over those two guys lol.
2 starters that both defend, can play/guard multiple positions AND score very well vs a streaky scorer who's liable to quit on the team as soon as things go south.

[RoyceDa59]

Kyrie no brainer.

[GiannisAnte34]

What imaginary trade assets do the Lakers have?

[Harry Garris]

Neither are going to happen but if I have the choice.. I'm offended by the question. Kyrie by miles.

Kyrie's more talented - but if you have Kyrie then by necessity you have to fill out the rest of the roster with guys playing for the minimum. Which means either over the hill veterans or undrafted players. That team would be 3 stars, none of which have shown the ability to stay healthy for a full year, surrounded by a bunch of below average level players who can't hold up defensively.

No matter how great Lebron and Kyrie are, to me that sounds like the 30th ranked defense in the NBA. Which means no shot of competing for the title.

Let's assume Kyrie opts in for a trade and somehow Westbrook + picks can fetch Kyrie via a 3 team deal, Lakers are left with:

Min, Min
AD, Min, Gabriel
LeBron, THT, Stanley
tMLE, Reaves, Min
Kyrie, Nunn, Min

+ 35

You've got a monster trio when healthy (and focused). 6th man = Nunn. Reaves regular rotation guard.

Does Gary Harris take tMLE? Oladipo? Monk and then start Reaves for more D?
Potential minimum guys: Delon Wright, Jevon Carter, Danuel House, Damian Jones, Tony Snell, Tristan Thompson, etc.

I don't think it's likely at all a Kyrie trade can./will happen. But if it did and you were fortunate with some guys taking discounts to clearly compete for a title, perhaps they can build something special.

There's some world where it's possible but everything would have to go right. Lebron, Kyrie, and AD would all need to be healthy for most of the season and all throughout the playoffs - which hasn't happened in one season for a long time. You would also need multiple solid 3 & D veteran players to agree to play for the minimum to ring chase and they would also have to stay healthy. Also possible - but not terribly likely to happen.

[jc23]

Kyrie for peanuts and then him not being a headcase is the lakers only shot at being a title contender next season. only in todays nba is this a possibility.