The latest LA Lakers trade rumor comes from the New York Daily News, who claim that the Lakers are ready to start sweetening the deal in a move to unload Russell Westbrook and snatch Kyrie Irving.
According to reports from the NY paper, the Lakers re willing to up the ante by adding two first round draft picks. The Lakers have long resisted shedding draft picks as part of the deal, but as the season opener inches closer by the day, it appears that the team is willing to go the distance, in order to begin the season with Irving wearing the LA jersey. Westbrook’s hefty contract is also weighing on the team’s finances and being able to reduce the overall salary expenditures by such a large number may be enough to push the Lakers to make some serious concessions to the Brooklyn Nets.
While the Lakers offering two first round draft picks (likely in the ’27 and ’29 seasons) is still just a rumor, people who have been keeping abreast of the negotiations with the Nets are feeling that this was the most likely outcome from the beginning. The big question remains if a third team will jump into the Kyrie Irving negotiations and force the Lakers hand to either walk away empty-handed or add more juice to the deal.
