Lakers news: Kawhi Leonard, Kyrie Irving moves 'unlikely', Jimmy Butler update

That is according to NBA insider Chris Verrier.

The Lakers missed out on completing a trade for Davis before the trade deadline, and will now have to go head to head with the Boston Celtics in the summer.

Jayson Tatum could be offered up by Boston, which would likely swing the trade talks in their favour.

He wasn’t the first player the Lakers have missed out on recently, as they were also unable to secure deals for either Kawhi Leonard or Paul George.

This summer, they have an open roster space for a free agent, and are expected to take a run at one of the multiple free agents this summer.

Leonard, Irving, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson and Jimmy Butler are all expected to become free agents this summer, and the Lakers have been linked with all of them so far.

And Verrier believes the Lakers have to acquire somebody big in the summer.

“They’ve got to get somebody,” He said on The Ringer podcast.

“They’ve got to get somebody in LA.

“If they don’t get the Davis trade, what are they going to do?

“Could it be Kawhi? Butler?”

Verrier’s co-host of The Ringer podcast, Kevin O’Connor, interrupted to give his opinion on the Lakers free agency hopes.

“I don’t think Kyrie’s going there,” he said.

“I don’t think it’ll be Kawhi.

“But it could well be Jimmy Butler.”

Verrier went on to explain that Irving was unlikely to stay with the Celtics this summer.

Irving has been linked with moves to either the Lakers or the New York Knicks.

“There’s this sense that this season has not been a happy season for the Boston Celtics,” he continued.

“There’s this sense that things will change there and Kyrie Irving will not want to be there long term.”

source: express.co.uk