The early portion of the 2023-24 NBA regular season has been a mixed bag for the Los Angeles Lakers. They are 6-6 out of the gate, already having some impressive victories and some flat performances resulting in ugly losses.
Despite being only 12 games into the season, the NBA trade rumor mill has already picked up, linking the Lakers to numerous players. The Chicago Bulls are the team everyone is keeping an eye on right now as it has been reported they are close to accepting the harsh reality of needing to blow things up.
Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan have both been floated as possibilities for the Lakers, who some people believe will need a third star to truly compete in the Western Conference. Given the inconsistencies Anthony Davis has shown in the early going, that could be true.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Kyrie Irving, LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas Mavericks Updates
Who else could the Lakers look to acquire to upgrade their roster? Jovan Buha of The Athletic believes that Kyrie Irving of the Dallas Mavericks could once again be in play for the purple and gold. He spoke about it on Hoops Tonight with Jason Timpf.
“In terms of guys they’re looking at, I think the Kyrie rumor is going to pop up again come trade deadline. … That probably looks like D-Lo, Rui and a pick for Kyrie. I don’t see why Dallas does that right now unless they start struggling,” Buha said.
As long as LeBron James remains in the NBA, there are going to be rumors linking him to Irving. Given the lack of success Irving has found since separating from James during their days on the Cleveland Cavaliers, it has felt like a reunion between the two was inevitable.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Kyrie Irving, LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas Mavericks Updates
But, as Buha said, it takes two to tango. At this point in time, there is zero chance that the Mavericks would be looking to make a move like that. They are off to a hot start this season with a 9-3 record, in second place in the Western Conference.
Unless things go off the rails, which has been common for Irving teams in recent seasons, Dallas will likely stick with what they have. But, a return package of D’Angelo Russell, Rui Hachimura and a first-round pick would at least pique their interest as both players would fit well into their rotation.
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