The Los Angeles Lakers and Brooklyn Nets have been involved in many trade rumors in the past couple of weeks, and most of the time, they’ve been mentioned in the same rumors, with some suggesting they should exchange stars this summer. Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving might be living their last days with the Brooklynites, and the Lakers have been mentioned as a good landing spot for at least one of them.
The Purple and Gold also have some players that a big part of the fanbase wants to see out, especially Russell Westbrook. The veteran point guard couldn’t make a positive impact on the team last season, and he’s said to be on his way out of the team this offseason. Moreover, Anthony Davis’ injuries have taken a toll on his level, and some fans think he needs to find a new home in the league.
These two situations have somehow ‘merged’ and have fans and analysts trying to find a good trade package that would suffice both Lakers and Nets. That’s how Ricky O’Donnell of SB Nation came up with a wild trade proposal that would send Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving to Los Angeles while sending Russell Westbrook, Anthony Davis, Talen Horton-Tucker, and Austin Reaves to Barclays Arena.
Los Angeles includes two future first round picks and pick swaps.
All the buzz between the Nets and Lakers has been centered around Kyrie Irving if Durant gets moved elsewhere. Here’s my question: why wouldn’t the Lakers offer Anthony Davis for Durant? The Lakers don’t have enough future draft capital to get in the room for both of Brooklyn’s superstars, but the Nets’ ears would have to perk up if Davis is on the table.
This is an interesting idea for these two teams. The Lakers could get a terrific duo to pair with LeBron James, while the Nets would get two superstars that are ready to improve their level, two young players, and a couple of draft picks. This could really work for everybody, but right now, it’s hard to see the Nets pulling the trigger on this move.
The Boston Celtics have apparently taken the lead in the KD race, and it seems like they will end up landing Durant, which could open the door for the Lakers to acquire Kyrie, which was their initial plan.
