The Los Angeles Lakers will be looking to make a huge comeback next season after an underwhelming 2021-22 NBA season. The iconic NBA franchise ended up missing the playoffs despite having a Big 3 of LeBron James, Russell Westbrook, and Anthony Davis.
To be honest, it was a Big 3 only on paper. Westbrook had one of the worst seasons of his NBA career, and Anthony Davis missed a lot of games due to injuries. Only LeBron James ended up playing like a real superstar.
But there is only so much a 37-year-old superstar can do on his own. Laker fans are hoping that the franchise will realize that and will try its best to get another superstar for James.
The best way to do so would be if the Lakers could trade for Kyrie Irving. The Brooklyn Nets superstar has been on the radar of the Lakers for a long time. But a trade is yet to be finalized due to the fact that the Purple and Gold are reluctant to add future picks to the trade package.
According to many reports, LeBron James doesn’t care about future picks and wants the team to do the needful to help him reunite with Kyrie. NBA analyst Skip Bayless, who is arguably the biggest LeBron James hater, is apparently happy that Jeanie Buss is not giving in to James’ demand.
(Starts at 4:54)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=woE0ME3eAig
“God bless her soul. It’s clear to me that she’s saying ‘hell no’ to you and LeBron and Laker nation. She’s saying, ‘I already gave in to him for Anthony Davis, which worked and for Russ, which did not work. And Russ was a two-year commitment and we’re committed. We gave LeBron what he wanted last year, I’m not going to give him my future as well as my present.’ She’s not going to give up draft picks that are five and seven years out there. They are first-round picks, god knows what they can be. They might be lottery picks, they might be top of the lottery pick(s). … Her point is, ‘I’ve been doing this for a long time. My daddy taught me well. I can’t give you my future for your present.'”
The Lakers have indeed listened to LeBron in the past in the cases of AD and Russ. But as things stand right now, if the Lakers do not get rid of Brodie and replace him with Kyrie, it might lead to James not re-signing a new contract.
If that happens, the Lakers could end up losing Anthony Davis as well. So from Buss’ point of view, it’s fair that she wants to protect the future of the franchise in case the team goes into a rebuilding phase. But if her current stance doesn’t change, that probability could turn into a guarantee.
