Trade & FA 2023-24: Stein-Ingram Trade Inevitable| LAL Want Lebron Back On Any Terms

[DanSchwartzgan]

Both Nico and Cuban clearly intimated they would love to resign Kyrie, but either said it's not Kyrie or bust (Cuban), then Nico stated on the radio that while they want to resign Kyrie, they have now brought in players that will work regardless of whether he comes back or not. You can treat these comments as nothing, but this is NOT what you see from a FO that is planning to ensure a star resigns at all costs (it's night and day compared to Cuban's definitive contract extension comments after trading for KP for example, before KP had even stepped on the court).

I wonder if we need to think of certain rumors as belonging on one of two paths.

The Kyrie stays path requires us to look for defensive minded wings.  The Kyrie goes path probably needs more offensive punch from somewhere.  I'm not a fan of adding Kuzma to Luka and Kyrie.  I might be talked into it if Kyrie is gone.  Maybe Jerami Grant comes into play in such a scenario if Portland moves Dame.