Lakers trade for kyrie then pick up Chris Paul on a vet minimum?

 

The NBA offseason is always full of surprises and rumors, but one of the most intriguing scenarios that has been floating around lately is the possibility of the Los Angeles Lakers trading for Kyrie Irving and then signing Chris Paul on a veteran minimum contract. How realistic is this scenario and what would it mean for the Lakers and the rest of the league?

First of all, let's examine why the Lakers would want to make such a move. The Lakers are coming off a disappointing first-round exit in the playoffs, where they were hampered by injuries and inconsistency. LeBron James, who will turn 38 in December, is still playing at an elite level, but he needs more help to compete for another championship. Anthony Davis, who signed a five-year extension with the Lakers last year, is a superstar when healthy, but he has struggled with durability issues throughout his career. The Lakers also lack depth and shooting, as they ranked 21st in three-point percentage and 25th in bench scoring last season. 

 

One way to address these issues is to trade for Kyrie Irving, who is one of the best point guards and scorers in the league. Irving averaged 26.9 points and 6 assists per game last season, while shooting 50.6% from the field and 40.2% from three. He also has championship experience, as he won a title with LeBron in Cleveland in 2016. Irving could provide the Lakers with another playmaker and shot creator, as well as a clutch performer who can take over games in crunch time.

 

 

 However, trading for Irving would not be easy or cheap. Irving is under contract with the Brooklyn Nets until 2023, with a player option for 2024. He also has a 15% trade kicker, which means that his salary would increase by 15% if he is traded. The Nets would also demand a lot of assets in return for Irving, such as young players, draft picks, and expiring contracts. The Lakers do not have many attractive assets to offer, as most of their draft picks are owed to other teams and their young players are either unproven or inconsistent. The Lakers would also have to match Irving's salary in any trade, which means that they would have to include some of their core players such as Dennis Schroder, Kyle Kuzma, Montrezl Harrell, or Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Another obstacle to trading for Irving is his relationship with LeBron. Irving famously requested a trade from the Cavaliers in 2017, reportedly because he wanted to be the focal point of his own team and did not want to play in LeBron's shadow anymore. Irving later apologized to LeBron for his actions and admitted that he did not appreciate his leadership at the time. However, it is unclear if Irving would be willing to reunite with LeBron and play second fiddle to him again. 

 Even if the Lakers somehow manage to trade for Irving, they would still have another move to make: signing Chris Paul on a veteran minimum contract. Paul is one of the best point guards of all time and a close friend of LeBron. He had a phenomenal season with the Phoenix Suns last year, leading them to their first NBA Finals appearance since 1993. Paul averaged 16.4 points and 8.9 assists per game, while shooting 49.9% from the field and 39.5% from three. He also made the All-NBA Second Team and finished fifth in MVP voting. However, signing Paul on a veteran minimum contract would require him to opt out of his $44 million player option for next season and leave a lot of money on the table. Paul has said that he wants to win a championship before he retires, but he also values his financial security and his legacy. Paul is also the president of the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA), which represents the interests of all NBA players. It would be a bad look for him to take such a massive pay cut and undermine his own bargaining power. Moreover, signing Paul on a veteran minimum contract would create a logjam at the point guard position for the Lakers. If they trade for Irving and sign Paul, they would have three All-Star point guards on their roster who all need the ball in their hands to be effective. It would be hard to balance their minutes and roles, as well as their egos and personalities. In conclusion, while trading for Kyrie Irving and signing Chris Paul on a veteran minimum contract sounds like a dream scenario for the Lakers, it is highly unlikely and impractical. The Lakers would have to overcome many hurdles and challenges to pull off such a move, and it would also create many problems and risks for them. The Lakers would be better off pursuing other options to improve their roster and contend for another title.