There have been whispers connecting Kyrie Irving and the Los Angeles Lakers for quite some time. For a brief period of time, it seemed Irving might accept the mid-level exception and sacrifice about $30 million to join the team. The Nets superstar ultimately decided against this and accepted his $36-plus million player option to return to the Nets. Shortly after, the NBA world was set on fire by the news that Kevin Durant had requested a trade.

This request put the entire Nets roster in a state of uncertainty and increased the likelihood of a Kyrie Irving trade. The seven-time All-Star obviously has a relationship with LeBron James dating back to the championship the duo won in 2016. Given the disappointing season last year for both the Nets and Lakers, this type of major roster shakeup would not be surprising. While a swap of Russell Westbrook and Kyrie Irving may seem to make sense for most, there could be a major factor holding the move back.

Lakers' monster hurdle that's blocking Kyrie Irving-Russell Westbrook trade

To start with, Kyrie Irving and Russell Westbrook are simply different calibers of players at this stage in their careers. Each player has proven to be a high-level NBA star for stretches of time but has their unique individual red flags.

The biggest concern with Kyrie Irving is his availability. The 30-year-old has played more than 60 games in just four of his 11 seasons in the NBA. His decision to remain unvaccinated made him ineligible for most home games last season, and he played in just 29 regular-season games with the team. During these games, he averaged 27.4 points, 5.8 assists, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.4 steals per game. Irving also shot a career-high in 3-point attempts per game (8.2) while connecting on a career-best 41.8% rate.

For Russell Westbrook, the concern is not availability but rather the ability to play alongside others. While the Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook duo was effective during their time with the Oklahoma City Thunder, this was a different era of their career for each player. Westbrook is a very high usage player with an individualized nature to his game. He is very ball-dominant and this was the source of an issue in Los Angeles. During the difficult season, the former MVP averaged 18.5 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 7.1 assists per game.

While there is clearly some sort of interest between the two teams, a one-for-one swap would not work for either side. His inability to consistently suit up is a concern, but the Nets are right to demand more in return for Kyrie Irving. When he is on the court there are little doubts about what a special talent he is. The Lakers need to add this type of impact player to rejuvenate their playoff hopes. However, Michael Scotto of Hoops Hype reports that Los Angeles would be unwilling to package multiple first-round picks to get the deal done. This likely would be necessary to get the deal done and is a big hurdle to a trade.

It also is important to note why draft picks are such a desired asset for the Nets. Brooklyn traded the 2022, 2024, and 2026 first-round picks to the Houston Rockets in the deal which landed James Harden. The Nets also agreed to pick swaps in 2021, 2023, 2025, and 2027. This large haul of picks rules out the option to rebuild, so gaining draft picks back would be very beneficial to the franchise. It is clear that the Big 3 of Harden, Durant, and Irving has gone about as south as possible, and the Nets are not in a good place as a franchise. Ensuring they find the proper reuturn for their remaining stars is essential for the franchise to remaining relevant.

It also has been reported that the Nets would prefer to wait on trading Kyrie Irving until a Kevin Durant deal is finalized. Durant, who is arguably the best player to ever hit the trade market, is sure to demand a larger return and likely will dictate the direction of the franchise. Prioritizing finding a deal for KD and then using Irving as the next trade chip to complete the roster makes a lot of sense. However, this also could open the door for another team to swoop in and make a large offer for the point guard.

If the Lakers truly want to add Kyrie Irving, they must step up and pay the premium price. His high-level talent and relationship with LeBron James would make a major difference. There also is no longer a vaccine mandate, which was the source of most of Irving's absences. Entering the final year of his contract, the Duke product must be sure to be on his best behavior. The Lakers could greatly benefit from this but must step up to pay the premium price if they want this to be the case.