The Los Angeles Lakers finally made a win-now move in hopes of maximizing the twilight of LeBron James' career. Why? Not because Patrick Beverley was their most prized prospective target on the trade block, but due to a pair of developments that reportedly increased the front office's sense of urgency with the 2022-23 season fast approaching.
According to veteran league insider Marc Stein, Kevin Durant's heel-turn back to the Brooklyn Nets and James putting pen to paper on a contract extension played a major part in Los Angeles sending Talen Horton-Tucker to the Utah Jazz in exchange for Beverley.
League sources say that the Lakers were clearly resistant to the idea of swapping Talen Horton-Tucker for Beverley when the teams began discussing a potential swap in July, owing to the Lakers' desire to be younger, faster and more athletic this season. Six weeks later at least two things changed: 1) It became apparent that a trade for Kyrie Irving would not be available in the near term after Kevin Durant rescinded his trade demand in Brooklyn; 2) LeBron signed a max contract extension with the Lakers on Aug. 18 that firmly steered the franchise into an urgent win-now mode.
It's hardly surprising to learn that Rob Pelinka's approach was altered by Durant and James re-committing to their current teams.
Kyrie Irving was trying to repair his damaged relationship with the Nets even before Durant requested a trade, but the likeliest outcome was always that he'd be moved either before the start of the regular season or at the February trade deadline. Brooklyn is all in on winning a championship in 2022-23 in wake of Durant's about-face, though, and surely can't get equal on-court value for Irving—a free agent this summer—until he burnishes his league-wide reputation.
The Lakers' realistic hopes of acquiring Irving before February basically died when Durant mended fences with the Nets, forcing the front office's hand into addressing the team's need at point guard. James' extension played a similar role in Los Angeles' trade for Beverley.
The Lakers would've been lambasted for failing to seek roster upgrades that could up their chances of contention with James in the final years of his career, but his prior status as an impending free agent would've at least afforded that approach some degree of sympathy. Why would they sacrifice the future for the present without knowing for certain that James would be wearing purple and gold beyond this season? But the four-time champion is locked in through 2023-24 now, giving Los Angeles a sense of stability at the top of the roster that allows for more aggressive team-building.
Next up for the Lakers? Resolving the Russell Westbrook situation, one that got even more fraught upon their acquisition of Beverley, his longtime personal rival.
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