The Los Angeles Lakers had the chance to trade for Kyrie Irving, but the Brooklyn Nets decided to send him to the Dallas Mavericks instead. But just because that window has closed doesn’t mean there aren’t other moves out there the Lakers could potentially make ahead of the February 9 trade deadline.
GettyChris Paul of the Phoenix Suns and LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers.
According to Odds Shark, the Lakers are the current favorites to be Chris Paul’s next team if he were to be traded. They tweeted out the odds on their Twitter account on February 3, listing the Lakers at +250.
Other teams on the list include the New York Knicks (+325), the Toronto Raptors (+400), the Charlotte Hornets (+500), the New Orleans Pelicans (+500), the Atlanta Hawks (+600), the Chicago Bulls (+800), and the Miami Heat (+1000).
Similar to the Lakers, the Phoenix Suns have performed well below expectations so far this season. After finishing with the best record in the NBA last year (64-18), the Suns have struggled this season. They currently sit at 30-26 on the year, which places them in fifth place in the Western Conference. However, they are just 4.5 games up on the 13th seed.
Phoenix was already willing to trade Paul in a potential deal for Irving, so they clearly aren’t completely invested in him long-term. They likely wouldn’t give him up for Russell Westbrook and the two firsts LA can trade (Westbrook would have to be in the deal to match salaries), but the Lakers could look at potentially making it a three-teamer so the Suns could get valuable assets back in return.
With the trade deadline inching closer and closer, it seems unlikely that a deal will occur this season. However, if the Suns do decide to move on from Paul, LeBron James’ close friend, expect the Lakers to be in the mix.
Lakers Interested in Mike Conley & Malik Beasley Trade
While adding Paul to the mix would almost certainly make James happy, there are some other deals that might be a bit more realistic, and one of them involves the Utah Jazz. According to Tim MacMahon of ESPN, the Lakers are interested in a deal that would see them land Mike Conley and Malik Beasley.
“Sources said the Jazz have had discussions about a deal in which a combination of rotation players including Conley and Beasley would go to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for 2027 and 2029 first-round picks and Russell Westbrook, who would likely receive a buyout instead of joining the Jazz,” MacMahon wrote.
Lakers Could Trade for Fred VanVleet & Gary Trent Jr.
Another potential trade option, according to Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report, would be for the Lakers to send Westbrook to the Raptors in exchange for Fred VanVleet and Gary Trent Jr.
“For our purposes, the Lakers’ willingness to part with just about all of their assets for only a two-year trial run with Irving indicates the team is comfortable with a limited level of risk as it relates to contract status,” Hughes wrote. “Fred VanVleet and Gary Trent Jr. can both hit free agency this summer via player options, and you’d assume both will want as many years and dollars as possible, which would put the Lakers to a similar decision. Except, what if FVV and Trent could be retained on the two-year timeline Los Angeles prefers? Myles Turner renegotiated and extended with the Indiana Pacers, timing up his next free agency for 2025, when the league’s new TV deal kicks in, bringing a likely cap spike with it. Perhaps VanVleet and Trent would be amenable to contracts of similar length and the relatively quick re-entry into free agency Turner will enjoy. Even if they do indicate four-year deals are the expectation, it’s possible the Lakers would be more open to longer commitments with guys who haven’t made unreliability a career-long habit.”
Source: dailylifeworld.com
