The Los Angeles Lakers seem focused on trading Russell Westbrook to the Brooklyn Nets for Kyrie Irving and committing the franchise to a second straight season where most of their salary cap went to three superstars.
With the Nets paralyzed over what to do with Kevin Durant, progress on a Westbrook for Irving trade has stalled, which could be the perfect time for the Lakers to pause and consider whether trading for Kyrie is the best path. While there’s a logic and symmetry to the Lakers and Nets swapping problem superstars, committing all of your salary cap to three players makes it difficult to build a championship roster around your superstars.
The Nets’ implosion opened a door to a seemingly impossible gift from the basketball gods, a chance to dump Russell Westbrook and receive in return superstar point guard Kyrie Irving and elite shooting guard Joe Harris. Frankly, the Lakers and LeBron were so excited about the chance to swap Russ for two legitimate starters, including a superstar and an elite 3-point shooter that they may not have thoroughly considered their other options.
So let’s compare the Lakers’ rotations if they traded Westbrook, Horton-Tucker, and two unprotected first round picks for Kyrie Irving and Joe Harris or Myles Turner, Buddy Hield, T.J. McConnell, and Patrick Beverley.
1. Trade for Irving and Harris
The above trade sends Russell Westbrook, Talen Horton-Tucker, and the Lakers 2027 and 2029 unprotected first round draft picks to the Brooklyn Nets for superstar point guard Kyrie Irving and elite two guard Joe Harris.
Irving would immediately become the Lakers’ starting point guard and the team’s lead scorer and playmaker, while Harris would become the starting shooting guard and needed high volume, high percentage 3-point shooter. While Irving, Harris, James, and Davis is a great foursome, the starting center position would be between two young unproven centers, with 27-year old Damian Jones likely beating out 24-year old Thomas Bryant.
That would give the Lakers a starting five of Irving, Harris, James, Davis, and Jones with backups of Nunn, Reaves, Brown Jr, Johnson, and Bryant and reserves of Christie, Walker IV, Toscano-Anderson, and Gabriel.
Is that a championship starting lineup and rotation? Assuming James, Davis, and Irving all are healthy and Kyrie is on his best contract year behavior, the Lakers should be able to compete for a championship again. The biggest question marks with this superstar laden roster is whether Jones and Bryant can provide the 3-point gravity to help the team’s spacing or the shot blocking and rim protection to anchor the team’s defense.
Point guard and center are where Darvin Ham wants the Lakers’ best two defenders. They’re also key positions for spacing on offense. The problem is Kyrie Irving and Damian Jones are not Jrue Holiday or Brook Lopez.
2. Trades for Turner, Hield, McConnell, and Beverley
The first trade sends Westbrook and the Lakers’ 2027 and 2029 unprotected first round draft picks to the Pacers for Turner, Hield, and McConnell. The second trade sends Horton-Tucker and Gabriel to the Jazz for Beverley.
Turner would immediately become the Lakers’ starting stretch five center, Hield the starting shooting guard and volume 3-point shooter, Beverley the starting point guard and lead defender, and McConnell backup point guard. What makes this starting lineup and rotation better than one with Irving and Harris is having elite defenders in Patrick Beverley and Myles Turner manning the critical point guard and center positions in Ham’s defense.
That would give Lakers a starting five of Beverley, Hield, James, Davis, and Turner with backups of McConnell, Reaves, Brown Jr, Johnson, and Jones and reserves of Nunn, Christie, Walker IV, Toscano-Anderson, and Bryant.
Is this a championship starting lineup and rotation? While it lacks three superstars, it has Beverley at point guard and Turner at stretch center, both of whom can fill the key two-way roles of Jrue Holiday and Brook Lopez. What we’re seeing is the same challenge the team faced last season, which is having to make a philosophical decision whether three superstars or two superstars with a more talented starting lineup and more depth on bench.
The Lakers need to stop chasing players because of their name and instead focus on adding players to the team whose offensive and defensive skillsets better complement and unleash LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
Is having Patrick Beverly as point of attack defense over Kyrie Irving and Myles Turner as rim protector over Damian Jones or Thomas Bryant, two key positions in Darwin Ham’s offense and defense, important enough to not trade for Kyrie Irving?
Jrue Holiday and Brook Lopez are key to the Buck’s offensive spacing and perimeter defense and rim protection. Beverley and Turner would be so much better for the Lakers defensively and you don’t have to hold your breath waiting for Kyrie to explode or refuse to get vaccinated.
Probably won’t matter but I’m starting to change my mind on which direction the Lakers should go. Fit is more important than talent in many situations.
Yes to all of the above except for Patrick. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that he either gets traded or signs elsewhere every season. If I simply must choose between Pat and Kyrie I would choose Beverly.This article and I jive on multiple levels although I do think we have a 50/50 chance of starting the season with Russ on the roster.
Yeah, I have a hard time wanting Beverley on the Lakers but the weakness of trading Russ for Turner and Hield is we don’t have a point guard, unless we move LeBron back to that position, which I don’t think is the direction the team wants to go.
Frankly, there are probably other options we could land with THT and Nunn even without a pick. One thing I do think is going to be difficult is building a great defensive team with Kyrie as your point of attack defender and Bryant or Jones protecting the rim. That’s why Beverley and Turner would be a huge defensive upgrade.
The big question is who can we get to be our version of Jrue Holiday on offense and defense? Not many great point guards who can play D. IT’s going to be a challenge if we get Kyrie. Any suggestions?
Avery Bradley?
We already got Nunn so I’d do him as the starter and AB is a serviceable backup in a limited role. We already missed out on Austin Rivers and I would take Avery over Darren Collison. PGs moved quick this summer, like they do. If that doesn’t tickle your whiskers we can try Dennis again or Rondo (who will be hurt for 3/4s of the season because he’s old) or DJ Augustin.
https://hoopshype.com/lists/2022-nba-free-agent-rankings-top-point-guards-available-next-offseason/
Clarky & Spider for Westy and our 2 First Picks.
Superstar big 3 vs deeper roster? Come on, I will take the deeper roster any day, any time. In a heartbeat.