Kyrie Irving reportedly asked the Brooklyn Nets on Friday to trade him, which will give them about six days to find a suitor for him, or possibly lose him in free agency this summer.
The Los Angeles Lakers are expected to at least kick the tires on a possible trade for Irving, although they do have some concerns about him.
But if such a trade were to happen, it could radically alter the balance of power in the Western Conference, not to mention the entire NBA.
Right now, L.A. has a 25-28 record, and although it is just three games behind the fourth-place Dallas Mavericks, it has struggled to gain and maintain momentum all season.
Former NBA player and current ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins thinks Irving would make the Lakers a legitimate championship contender and possibly the best team in the conference.
"If [The Lakers] get Kyrie Irving, I mean damn: they should be considered to winning the West."
— Kendrick Perkins#LakeShow pic.twitter.com/QstM9vsIYg
— 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐢𝐧' 𝐍𝐁𝐀 (@_Talkin_NBA) February 3, 2023
The West looks pretty wide open right now. The first-place Denver Nuggets appear to be the only team there with legitimate championship aspirations.
Irving is still on top of his game at age 30, and he would give L.A. a third big-time scoring threat, as well as another outstanding facilitator and perhaps the best crunch-time performer around.
Of course, Irving also has a relationship with LeBron James, who has been putting up phenomenal stats at age 38, and the two won a world title together in 2016.
