The LA Lakers have been active when it comes to exploring the market before the NBA trade deadline on February 9. When former Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving requested a trade, it looked as if the Lakers had a unique opportunity to land the talented star.
That was before it was announced that the Brooklyn Nets had agreed to deal him to the Dallas Mavericks. Adding Irving to the mix would have been huge, but LA will have to go back to the drawing board.
While Irving will be suiting up for the Mavericks this season, there's still a path by which he could find himself with the Lakers.
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Appearing on ESPN's "First Take," analyst Brian Windhorst stressed that LA might have been wise not to mortgage their future for Irving. Windhorst also said that as Irving is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, he could still end up signing with the Lakers.
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"The Kyrie story to the Lakers ain't over. They can sign him this summer. They don't have max cap space now, but they've a lot of it if they just keep Rus and say goodbye in July. They can still do that."
LA Lakers look to upgrade roster after missing out on Kyrie Irving
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The LA Lakers are going to have to revamp their efforts to upgrade their roster ahead of Thursday's NBA trade deadline. While the opportunity to land Kyrie Irving has passed, there are other options available.
With LeBron James and Anthony Davis playing at a high level, the Lakers need to add some depth to make a push this season.
Los Angeles still lacks future draft assets, making it a bit more challenging to entice rival organizations. Veteran Russell Westbrook has been mentioned as a potential trade candidate and his expiring contract puts him at the center of many a rumor.
With time beginning to run out, it will be interesting to see what LA decides to do.
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