I can see them being a finalist contender if they keep it up, east is a weaker conference and most of them have supertars that help them get there, with just one injury they could end up playing at the finals very easily.
I would not say that east is a weaker conference because right now, East is emerging again. The trio in boston are in their prime and an easy championship contender. Not to mention bucks, sixers and miami are really strong contenders too. Bulls are good team but with the competition in the east right now, I do not think they can come on top.
Maybe after these 2 more years as he is still in a good condition to add another championship for the Lakers.
Would he still be even competitive by that time. He will be 40+ after the extension. It is best for him to retire. If he still wants to be involve in basketball, it is better for him to buy a basketball team. He is a billionaire, he can easily do that. And doing that, he can be a real GM too if he wants it.
Irving is a double edge sword though. On one side, he is a lethal scorer with elite-level ball handling. He is very skilled and athletic. On the other side, he can be very problematic to handle. Too many personal issues that he lets affect his profession. If Kyrie could control himself and just be a professional basketball player and do not mix drama with career, he is sure a good addition to the Lakers. Otherwise, he is just another headache for the coach and Lebron.