Lakers Make Decision on Possible Kevin Durant Trade Plan

The Los Angeles Lakers were linked to Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant for quite some time, but Rob Pelinka should definitely look for other trade options.

Irving will stay with the Brooklyn Nets for another season. KD may be on his way out, but LA is not a possible destination. Sam Amick and Jovan Buha believe that the Lakers would rather keep Anthony Davis on their roster. Trading the big man for KD makes no sense for these two.

“As for the prospect of the Lakers trying to get in on the Durant sweepstakes themselves, perhaps by making Davis available in the process, a source close to the situation put the chances at ‘zero,’” Buha and Amick detailed on June 30, 2022. “Their focus, it seems, is on Irving. And vice versa.”

Lakers may want Kevin Durant, but may also view other trade options

Durant is free to go wherever he wants. The Lakers may not make a move to get him, but the Phoenix Suns and Miami Heat are potential destinations.

Everything points to the fact that the Lakers can’t just add KD to their current roster. They will have to get rid of a few players, including AD. One Western Conference general manager discussed this possibility with Sean Deveney from Heavy.com.

“Going the other way, if Durant wants to go to the Lakers, that gets harder,” the NBA GM said at the time. “He is signed through (2026), so you’ve got to make a trade and the only thing they can do would be Anthony Davis for KD. I think LeBron feels some responsibility for getting Davis to Los Angeles, and he wants that to work, so there’s not much chance they would trade him.

“But if Davis can go play with Kyrie, who he is close with, maybe that changes the math on that. It’s an earthquake kind of trade and it’s a slim chance. But if Durant is really unhappy and they can get everyone on the same page, maybe it works for everyone. Never say never in this league.”

Rob Pelinka is working on a few potential scenarios, but none of those includes KD.