The NBA Finals currently have the attention of all NBA fans, with the Warriors and Celtics playing out what promises to be a close and exciting series. However, for 28 other teams, the offseason is in full swing, and their fans have an eye on potential ways for their teams to get better next season, be it via the draft or through trades.
The Los Angeles Lakers and the Brooklyn Nets both undoubtedly expected to be playing basketball at this time of the year before the season began, but it wasn’t to be. The Lakers couldn’t even make it to the play-in tournament and while the Nets managed to do that and make it to the playoffs, they became the only team to be swept this season, that too in the first round.
Russell Westbrook and Kyrie Irving both respectively have some blame in that, Russ seemingly regressed quite a bit this season and had issues with Frank Vogel, while Kyrie wasn’t able to play a large part of the season thanks to his stance on COVID-19. And with both fanbases not happy with the two, a potential trade has been discussed, with further insight into it coming from NBA Insider Bill Oram.
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“I don’t think it’s nuts,” Oram said of a Westbrook-Irving trade. “I don’t know that it’s going to happen, but from a logical standpoint, it makes sense. From a logical standpoint, the Nets are absolutely sick of the Kyrie Irving experience. The Lakers are sick of the Russell Westbrook experience. That said, the Nets know they have the better player and the better asset, despite all of his idiosyncrasies.”
If a trade like this were to go through, the Lakers likely would have to give up more than just Westbrook, and it would see Kevin Durant reunite with his old teammate while Irving would also once again be playing with LeBron James. The potential narratives surrounding it are incredible to think about and while it’s unlikely, a trade like this would make next season very interesting for both teams.
