Locked On Lakers podcast is your daily ticket to stay ahead of the game and the first to know the latest news, analysis, and insider info for the Los Angeles Lakers and the NBA. Hosts Andy and Brian Kamenetzky, who have covered the Purple and Gold since 2005 for media outlets including the LA Times, ESPN and The Athletic, offer traditional journalism, informal commentary, and offbeat humor to provide expert, local analysis. Locked On Lakers takes you beyond the scoreboard for the inside scoops on the biggest stories from within the Lakers locker room and all over the NBA. The Locked On Lakers podcast is part of the Locked On Podcast Network. Your Team. Every Day.
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episode 1473: Can the Lakers Be Contenders if They Trade for Kyrie Irving? (Guest, Trevor Lane, Part II)
In Part I of our interview with Trevor Lane of Lakers Nation, we talked a lot about what the Lakers are now. In Part II, we focus on what they might become, if the team can swing one of the rumored deals on the table for Russell Westbrook. First and foremost, which deal does Trevor think is best for the Lakers? He's a believer in the Kyrie Irving swap, based on the upside, especially if the Lakers can get a couple other players back in the deal.
First, Kyrie is still a transcendent talent, all the weirdness aside. Second, acquiring him with someone like Joe Harris would sort out the current rotation in a more coherent way, while making the spacing around Anthony Davis and LeBron James significantly better. Yes, there are risks - significant ones, at that -
So how much better would the Lakers be, if they managed to pull this off? Would they become contenders in a crowded Western Conference? High end, but needing a break or two? What would the Lakers expect from Kyrie from a behavior standpoint in 2022-23? Would that hold if the Lakers signed him to a long term deal?
Finally, a breakdown of what's at stake for the Lakers. They've gone most of the way to committing everything they have to try and maximize the "now" with LeBron and Davis. Is it worth, given all the uncertainty, to truly be all in? Do they have any other choice?
HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky
SEGMENT 1: What's the best trade outcome for the Lakers? Brooklyn? Indiana? What's behind Door #3?
SEGMENT 2: How good would the Lakers be if they acquired Irving? Does it make them title contenders? Do they at least have a puncher's chance at that point? Is that good enough?
SEGMENT 3: No more half-measures. The Lakers can't afford to worry about future salary or other long term considerations. If they're going to use those two first rounders to try and improve this year's team, improve it as much as possible and worry about the rest later.
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