Coming off the worst season in franchise history, things can only get better. The front office moves this summer will determine how quickly a return to the top can be. Getting the seventh pick in the NBA draft lottery wasn’t what the Lakers hoped for, but we move forward and look to focus on the draft and selecting the future coach.
According to most NBA experts, the top 5 prospects are: Joel Embiid, Andrew Wiggins, Jabari Parker, Dante Exum and Julius Randle in that order. After that, it really depends on a team’s need by position versus overall perceived upside. With Kobe Bryant only signed to a two-year contract, the window to win with him is closing rapidly. That being said, the Lakers must choose to draft a potential star and let him develop or go for the home run by trading the pick for a proven player in the league.
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Enter Kyrie Irving — one of the most exciting young stars wanting a new home. Reports state both sides, Irving and the Cleveland Cavaliers, are unwilling to agree on a max contract, so a trade now becomes a possibility. The Lakers can offer the Cavaliers the seventh pick where Cleveland can begin rebuilding their team in addition to their first pick.
Kyrie Irving has never been to the playoffs in his first three seasons in the league. It has also been reported that he is not as strong of a leader as the Cavaliers had hoped. After his second season, even with a close relationship with then coach Byron Scott, he did not speak up and demand that Scott be retained as coach by management. He is a rising star on a losing team, but how much of the blame should be directed his way?
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Lakers GM Kupchak Says Next Coach Must Get Most Out Of Kobe Bryant, Chances Of Trading The Pick?
PAGE 2: Why The Lakers Should Trade The Seventh Pick For Kyrie Irving
Cleveland is not only a less than stellar destination for sports in general, but they also have one of the worst owners in the league, Dan Gilbert. Gilbert initially fired Mike Brown with the hope of retaining LeBron James in free agency, publicly blasted James when he left, then rehired Brown to only let him go after one season. Lakers fans are familiar with Brown as a coach. He seems like a nice person, but wherever he coaches, the superstars have free reign to do as they please and the offensive system is nonexistent.
In sports, the greater the talent, the greater the need for a championship coach to transform potential stars into champions by winning titles. It’s no coincidence Kyrie Irving had his worse season this year amidst the turmoil of a toxic locker room. Luol Deng has said he has never seen it this bad, Dion Waiters became the scapegoat for lack of chemistry and Andrew Bynum was removed from the team. Sure, the Cavs should have had a better record based on their talent, but what young talent needs is strong leadership modeled by their coach. Leadership from the top trickles down to the players, especially in terms of effort and mental strength. The Cavaliers culture has become so dysfunctional that no superstar in his right mind can flourish, let alone want to retire there. Don’t forget, Kyrie is only 22 and based on his game, he has at least 10 years to go in his prime.
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Kyrie Irving will be a top-three point guard within the next five years. That isn’t a prediction, it’s a fact. If you watch his game, what separates him from most young point guards is his game, although flashy is not based on athleticism. Rarely does he dunk on people or block shots. Instead, his ball-handling skills, footwork, and shooting touch torch his opponents on a nightly basis. Point guards like Russell Westbrook and Derrick Rose have games that are exciting to watch, but will diminish over time because the body breaks down. Kyrie can continue to dominate into his 30’s because his fundamentals are what make him special.
So far, Kevin Love is the player that is most linked to the Lakers because of his Southern California connection, but if the Lakers have to choose to go after one of them, Irving is the better choice. Here’s why: the Lakers need a star, not just stats. This is not a knock on Love, but more of an endorsement for Kyrie. Kobe is in the twilight of his career and the Lakers need someone to be the face of the franchise — both on and off the court. In the city of bright lights, Kyrie Irving can be our next shining star.
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Lakers GM Kupchak Says Next Coach Must Get Most Out Of Kobe Bryant, Chances Of Trading The Pick?