The Los Angeles Lakers haven't been as active in making additions to their roster ever since being linked with a potential Kyrie Irving trade, and for good reason.
As NBA insider Marc Stein noted, the general belief is that the Lakers are holding off on “secondary trades” as they assess the Irving situation. They remain determined to get the veteran playmaker from the Brooklyn Nets, but until they know for sure whether or not they can land the playmaker, they cannot make other trades.
“I tend to agree with the notion that the Lakers, above all, would also prefer to hold off on secondary trades, like the various Indiana options or a potential Eric Gordon deal with Houston until they know that acquiring Kyrie Irving from Brooklyn is no longer an option,” Stein wrote on Substack.
This certainly makes sense. After all, making a deal for other players and giving out some assets in exchange basically takes them out of the running for Kyrie Irving. For one, the rumored trade with the Indiana Pacers for Buddy Hield and Myles Turner would require them to part ways with Russell Westbrook and multiple picks.
As a lot of fans might be aware, Westbrook is also at the center of any deal for Irving.
In relation to the Lakers-Pacers trade rumors, Dave McMenamin of ESPN recently shared his belief that LA “will not pull the trigger on a deal like that until they know absolutely for sure that Kyrie Irving cannot happen and will not happen.”
It remains to be seen what will happen to the Lakers' pursuit of Irving, but it is worth noting that the Nets are only expected to deal Kyrie once they move Kevin Durant as well. With that said, LA fans might have to wait for some time before getting any clarity on their roster and trade moves.
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