The Lakers have two first-round picks they can trade — 2027 and 2029, although they could convey a year earlier — but have been very reluctant to include them in any trade negotiations. After dealing away a lot of picks to land Anthony Davis (which resulted in banner No. 17), the Lakers want to restock, not keep sending out future picks.

They don’t have a choice if they want to trade Russell Westbrook. And while the Lakers reportedly have put one pick (with little or no protections) in their conversations about a Kyrie Irving trade with the Nets, it may require both picks to get the deal done reports Michael Scotto of Hoopshype on the Hoopshype podcast:

When it comes to any potential Russell Westbrook and Kyrie Irving trade talks, or if the Lakers are moving Westbrook to any team, both future first-round picks have to be included. You already saw Indiana decline multiple second-round picks (in addition to one first-round pick)… If the Nets were going to get Westbrook, my assumption would be there will be a third team involved, and one of those first-round picks would go to a team with salary cap space like the Pacers or Spurs, for example. They’d likely have more of an appetite for buying him out to get a first-round pick.