NBA Rumors: Lakers Reportedly Open To Upping Ante For Kyrie Irving



After all the insistence from the Los Angeles Lakers' side that they were not willing to give up their two available first-round picks the rest of this decade in order to obtain Kyrie Irving in a trade with the Brooklyn Nets, it now appears they might be softening their stance.

Kristian Winfield of The New York Daily News says that the Lakers "are now reportedly willing to include both 2027 and 2029 first-round draft picks in a deal for Kyrie Irving."

This is backed up by Lakers Insider Jovan Buha of The Athletic, who has the same intel. 

Winfield does go on to note, though, that the Nets were originally unwilling to accept Russell Westbrook in any return; it's not known if their stance has changed, or even if they are intending to let the Kevin Durant thing play out first before deciding on a Kyrie move.  

Out west, the pressure could be building in Laker-land to relieve themselves of the impending Russell Westbrook powder keg that could be set to explode if training camp opens and he's still on the roster. 

All eyes are on these two coasts, to see which, if any of these situations gets resolved. 

Photo: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports