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NBA rumors suggest the LA Lakers could include their two future-firsts in a potential trade for Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving. However, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, that isn't the case for the package of Pacers duo Myles Turner and Buddy Hield.
"They have two real assets to do a significant trade that's their 2027 and 2029 first-round picks. If unprotected, they have a lot of value in the market place.
"But Lakers, I'm told, will be willing to do that in a Kyrie Irving trade, but that's not something the Nets have been interested in," reported Wojnarowski."
He added:
"One other deal, the Lakers have had some on and off talks with Indiana (for) Myles Turner, Buddy Hield, they've now been willing to give up two future firsts in that deal."
The LA Lakers managed to get younger this offseason. They added players aged less than 30, making sure they are more athletic, fast and solid defensively in the upcoming campaign. However, LA still lacks perimeter shooting, a glaring weakness on their roster.
Pursuing Kyrie Irving or adding multiple contributing role players, both options bode well for the Lakers. LeBron James won the championship with Irving as his co-star, while he led the Lakers to a title win in 2020 alongside Anthony Davis, surrounded by impact role players.
LA Lakers could be aggressive in their quest to improve their roster as LeBron James agrees to a contract extension
Adrian Wojnarowski reported that LeBron James' agent, Rich Paul, told ESPN that his client and the LA Lakers have agreed to a two-year $97.1 million contract extension. The sum could go up to $111 million in the 2023-24 season if the salary cap rises significantly.
LeBron also has a player option for the 2024-25 season. The Lakers can now push to make the necessary roster improvements to capitalize on James' remaining tenure with the franchise. As presently constructed, the Lakers roster seems far from being a competitive team against the rest of their rivals.
The LA Lakers have other options to pursue if they fail to land Kyrie Irving. The package of Buddy Hield and Myles Turner from the Pacers is one deal they could revisit. They could also engage with the Utah Jazz in a trade to land Patrick Beverley, Jordan Clarkson and Bojan Bogdanovic.
LeBron James and Anthony Davis proved they can win a championship if they are surrounded by impactful role players in their debut season as teammates. The Lakers should consider other potential deals that could be on the table if the Nets stay adamant about not offering Kyrie.
Guess the Lakers players!
