Podcast: Should the Lakers trade for Kyrie Irving if they miss out on LeBron James?

It’s Monday, which means it’s time to open up Locked on Lakers’ iTunes Mailbag. As usual, LeBron James was a large part of the conversation, but as we approach rumor season, everyone’s attention is also turning to other directions the Los Angeles Lakers could go in to improve the roster.

With the first question, I went back to discuss an interesting hypothetical. When Kyrie Irving was made available a year ago, should the Lakers have gotten involved with trade discussions? Could they have made a deal work? If they don’t land LeBron this summer, should Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka consider calling Danny Ainge to find out what the asking price on Irving might be now that Terry Rozier showed out the way he did this last postseason.

Then, the second question brought up another point guard option who might be able to help attract James even beyond whatever the Lakers’ current free agency pitch might sound like, and was even a Laker at one point. Chris Paul is a free agent and his friendship with James is as well-known as his propensity for flopping exaggerating contact. Can the Lakers swing a deal for him, James and Paul George?

The final question (before we had some fun as per usual with these mailbag shows) had to do with DeMarcus Cousins. Is there a scenario in which he could fit into the Lakers’ plans? Any such situation would probably involve losing Julius Randle, but would it be worth it?

I end the show with a couple fun questions. We start with a former Laker great whose son is blossoming into quite the young talents across the country. Shaquille O’Neal’s son, Shareef, has committed to UCLA and one listener wondered whether we might ever seen him in a Lakers uniform.

I finish the show with the beginnings of a Rob Pelinka Bingo game.