Our path to contention if Kyrie goes to LA

LeBron is using the threat of retirement as LeVerage for the Lakers to sign Kyrie. If it is LeBron retiring or give up depth for Kyrie, the Lakers would rather have LeBron and Kyrie than role players and neither. This makes them a prime fleecing target.

* LAL gets: Kyrie Irving
* PHX gets: DeMar DeRozan, Lonzo Ball, Maxi Kleber, JaVale McGee
* CHI gets: Josh Green, Jaden Hardy, Davis Bertans, Reggie Bullock, Chris Paul, #10 pick, 2027 DAL FRP, 2029 LAL FRP
* DAL gets: Zach LaVine, Deandre Ayton, Malik Beasley, Rui Hachimura, Jarred Vanderbilt

Why each team does it:

* Lakers: See above.
* Suns: Retool around Booker and KD by acquiring another star and some depth. Lonzo is salary filler; if he can play again, great. If he can’t, taking his contract is the price to pay for getting a star without giving up picks.
* Bulls: Start rebuilding with two young players with star potential, acquire some picks, clear the books of LaVine’s contract (Bertans, Bullock, and Paul all have various non-guarantees in this year’s and/or next year’s deals).
* Mavs: Replace Kyrie’s scoring, upgrade at the 4 and 5.

Then, hear me out, we sign Dillon Brooks into our MLE. We target backup PGs in free agency (on minimums, of course).

Our roster now looks like this:

* PG: Luka Doncic / minimum
* SG: Zach LaVine / Tim Hardaway Jr.
* SF: Dillon Brooks / Malik Beasley
* PF: Rui Hachimura / Jarred Vanderbilt
* C: Deandre Ayton / Dwight Powell

Not great but probably the best we can do if Kyrie leaves. We’d have two stars, a third player who has the talent to be a star if he locks in, scoring at the wing with improved defense and rebounding, and just need to shore up the guard spots and third stringers with minimums.

[Let me cook, alright? Trade machine says it works…](https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/430512613462376459/1110456539346640896/image.png?width=1139&height=671)