Darvin Ham Addresses Lakers' Trade Deadline Approach Amid Kyrie Irving Rumors

Los Angeles Lakers coach Darvin Ham is trying to keep his team focused amid trade rumors ahead of Thursday's deadline:

"Until something is done, it's all hearsay, it's all rumor, innuendo," Ham told reporters. "Again, you don't play fantasy basketball. When it's real, it's real. When it's not, we don't pay attention to it."

The Lakers have been mentioned as a possible landing spot for Kyrie Irving after the Brooklyn Nets point guard put in a trade request Friday, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. LeBron James also had a cryptic tweet after Irving's trade request was publicized.

Russell Westbrook has been the subject of trade rumors since the offseason, with Bleacher Report's Chris Haynes reporting recent conversations between the Lakers and Utah Jazz.

Los Angeles has already been active while swinging a trade for Rui Hachimura.

The team still needs plenty of help while entering Saturday with a 25-28 record, tied for 12th in the Western Conference. The return of Anthony Davis is significant, but the team could still use added depth to get back into playoff contention.

The constant rumors can be a distraction for any team, but it could be especially an issue for a big-market team like the Lakers.

Ham, who's entering his first trade deadline as a head coach, could have a tough task keeping his team's focus on the court.