Even though the NBA schedule is set to be officially released on Wednesday, it hasn’t stopped the plethora of leaks. The newest to hit social media involves two franchises that have been heavy with trade rumors this summer — the Los Angeles Lakers and the Brooklyn Nets.
The Lakers and Nets have spent the majority of their summers engaging in trade discussions.
Kyrie Irving’s desire to play in the Purple and Gold became clear in June, with his relationship with Kobe Bryant reportedly making an impact on his decision. Naturally, the Lakers would deal Russell Westbrook to acquire Irving, but those trade rumblings have dwindled down recently with Irving’s reported interest in staying with Brooklyn.
With no trade in sight for Westbrook to be dealt away for Irving, it seems the two franchises are at a crossroads. The Nets are also still in the midst of finding a trade partner to suit Kevin Durant’s trade request as well.
Whether or not those faces will be on their respective teams when training camp comes is still up in the air. What is guaranteed though is that the Lakers and Nets will face off this season and according to Brian Lewis of the New York Post, Nov. 13 is the date to keep an eye on for that first matchup at Crypto.com Arena:
The #Nets will play at LeBron James and the #Lakers on Nov. 13 on ESPN, according to a league source.
— Brian Lewis (@NYPost_Lewis) August 16, 2022
The recent leak comes after the Lakers matchups on Opening Day, Christmas Day and others were leaked. L.A. will face the defending champion Golden State Warriors on the road to tip off the year. They will travel to Dallas for Christmas too for a rare road appearance on the holiday. The dates for Darvin Ham’s return to Milwaukee and LeBron James’ return to Cleveland have been leaked as well.
The start of the season should be a tough one for the Purple and Gold. After Golden State, the Lakers’ first home game will be against the L.A. Clippers. Last season’s schedule had a similarly tough start with the Warriors and Phoenix Suns being the first two matchups.
A big move seems to be waiting too. L.A. has set training camp as a “soft deadline” to trade Westbrook. There have been interested teams, but the Lakers’ unwillingness to include a second first-round pick has been a detriment.
Trade or not, the matchup against Brooklyn will likely be full of star power, it’s just a matter of who’s wearing which uniform.
Dates for all 4 matchups with the Clippers revealed
What has been a one-sided matchup in recent memory continues next year. The Lakers will hope to turn the tide in the “rivalry” between two L.A. teams. As usual, the Lakers will take on the Clippers four times next year including for the Lakers’ home opener and an early matchup in April.
Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? It’s the best way to watch player interviews, exclusive coverage from events, participate in live shows, and more!
