Three Trades Lakers Could Pursue This Offseason Not Including Kyrie Irving

While the Los Angeles Lakers and their fans seem to be fixated on trading for All-Star Kyrie Irving this offseason, the team could consider one of these three other trade scenarios instead.

Ever since Kevin Durant requested a trade from the Brooklyn Nets on June 30, there has been a lot of chatter about Kyrie Irving possibly joining the Los Angeles Lakers.

Many have thrown out trade packages involving Russell Westbrook to get Irving to Los Angeles, some have suggested the Nets buy Irving out of his contract and others have simply called for the Lakers to play the “waiting game” given that the Nets’ All-Star guard will be a free agent following the 2022-23 season.

Time is valuable in the NBA, especially given that the Lakers are on the clock with LeBron James being 37-years-old. With James on the back-end of his career, Los Angeles’ championship window is small and their margin for error is minimal as we saw last season!

Something needs to change for the Los Angeles Lakers heading into the 2022-23 season and while adding Kyrie Irving in favor of Russell Westbrook would obviously make them a better team, they can still find other ways to be successful with Westbrook on their roster.

New head coach Darvin Ham truly believes that his team’s All-Star trio of LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook can be successful, as does the Lakers’ front-office.

Still having an open roster spot to fill this offseason and still being active on the trade market, the Lakers could very likely turn their attention to other names this offseason and possibly acquire one or two other players not named Kyrie Irving.

Talking about the Lakers recently on ESPN’s Get Up, NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski stated that players like Eric Gordon (Houston Rockets), Buddy Hield (Indiana Pacers) and Patrick Beverley (Utah Jazz) could all be on Los Angeles’ radar right now.

With these three players being mentioned by the ESPN insider, here are three trade packages involving each player that the Lakers could look to pursue.

Los Angeles Adds A Veteran Wing

Los Angeles Lakers Receive: G/F Eric Gordon

Houston Rockets Receive: G Talen Horton-Tucker, G Kendrick Nunn, F Wenyen Gabriel, LAL 2027 1st Round Pick (Lottery-Protected)

Lakers fans will know this trade scenario simply because we can label it as “Ol’ Reliable.” This is the package that fans of Los Angeles have been throwing around for some of the league’s best stars simply because this is the best trade package they can throw together this offseason.

Well, the best it will land them is a veteran player like Eric Gordon, who would actually fit in quite nicely with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Who knows what kind of changes new head coach Darvin Ham will make to the way the Lakers play, but Gordon has been known for years to be a strong defender and he is coming off a year with the Houston Rockets in which he shot 41.2% from three-point range.

Talen Horton-Tucker’s value has been inflated well past where it actually lies and while he is a former first-round pick, he alone really does not present much upside in a trade package going anywhere.

Many teams around the league have shown very little interest in acquiring Horton-Tucker, so if the Houston Rockets are willing to take him in this scenario for Gordon, the Lakers should be pouncing on this trade.

Bringing in yet another veteran player is the last thing Lakers’ fans would want to see, but Gordon has proven to still be a factor on the floor and his presence on the perimeter offensively is what really makes him a great trade asset.

To trade for him, the Lakers would need to try their best to match the veteran’s $19.5 million salary for the 2022-23 season, which is why both Talen Horton-Tucker and Kendrick Nunn would have to be on the move.

Eric Gordon is the kind of player the Lakers need to put around LeBron James and Russell Westbrook in order to be successful simply because he knows what it takes to win.

Remember When The Lakers Almost Traded For Buddy Hield?

Los Angeles Lakers Receive: G/F Buddy Hield

Indiana Pacers Receive: G Talen Horton-Tucker, F Stanley Johnson, LAC 2025 2nd Round Pick, LAL 2027 1st Round Pick (Top-10 Protected)

Los Angeles Clippers Receive: G Kendrick Nunn

There was a time ahead of the 2021-22 season where the Lakers were extremely close to agreeing on a deal with the Sacramento Kings for Buddy Hield. At the last minute, management pivoted to Russell Westbrook and that trade with the Washington Wizards because of the pressure being put on them by LeBron James and Anthony Davis, who both wanted the team to acquire Westbrook.

Looking in the rear view mirror, the team’s front-office should have gone with their gut instincts here, but there is still a chance the Lakers could end up with Buddy Hield.

The Indiana Pacers are going through some sort of a rebuild and they are by no means a contending team in the Eastern Conference, which is why Hield should be available for the right price.

Would the Pacers want Talen Horton-Tucker? Possibly, but it is much more likely that getting draft compensation for Hield is what Indiana wants.

Horton-Tucker could be another young player the Pacers can add to their core group and Stanley Johnson is a player they can add for depth or simply waive to save a roster spot.

The interesting part of this trade is finding a third team to take on Kendrick Nunn and the one-year left on his contract. Not many teams in the league are going to want to bring in Nunn, who sat out the entire 2021-22 season with a bone bruise in his knee, but the Los Angeles Clippers are an intriguing suitor.

While it is highly unlikely for a trade involving both the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers to occur, the Clippers could be willing to give up a future second-round pick for Kendrick Nunn to round out the 15th spot on their roster.

They would have nothing to lose here, they could stick it to the Lakers should Nunn play well coming back from injury and losing a future second-round pick is minimal value for a championship contending team.

What this trade comes down to is whether or not the Indiana Pacers would want to move Buddy Hield for Talen Horton-Tucker and future draft compensation.

Tough-Minded Defender Heads Back To Los Angeles

Los Angeles Lakers Receive: G Patrick Beverley

Utah Jazz Receive: G Talen Horton-Tucker, F Wenyen Gabriel, LAL 2023 2nd Round Pick, LAL 2025 2nd Round Pick (Top-50 Protected)

It is not surprising to see the Los Angeles Lakers have rumored interest in Patrick Beverley for a couple of reasons.

Not only does Los Angeles need some extra depth in their backcourt, but they need players that can help them win games, specifically on the defensive-end of the floor. Patrick Beverley is exactly this kind of player and he has proven that over the last few seasons.

Spending four seasons with the Clippers, Beverley was a catalyst for every good thing that happened on the defensive-end of the floor for his team and he carried that success with him to the Minnesota Timberwolves this past season, helping them reach the playoffs for the first time since 2018.

Beverley is a winner and does what he needs to defensively in order to put his team in a position to win games. Hate him or love him, Patrick Beverley truly embraces being the heart and soul of his team.

The Utah Jazz are rebuilding right now and are more than willing to give up anybody on their roster for the right price in regards to draft picks.

Maybe Talen Horton-Tucker is someone they view highly of and in addition to bringing in Horton-Tucker, the Jazz would be taking back two second-round picks, one as early as 2023.

Personally, I do not believe that the Jazz will get a first-round pick for Beverley, but you never know what other teams around the league are willing to give up, especially if it means messing up the Lakers’ plans!

To me, this seems like a very reasonable deal for the Lakers to get their hands on Patrick Beverley and there really is no reason why the Jazz would turn this down unless they simply do not want Talen Horton-Tucker.