As Kyrie Irving ponders his limited options this summer, a lot of pieces would need to fall in place for him to join the Los Angeles Lakers. While it’s far from a guarantee to happen, Irving would seemingly have a stamp of approval from LeBron James.
A reunion between James and Irving seemed unlikely just a few years ago. Irving said he didn’t care about his former teammate’s feelings and there seemed to be some tension. However, time heals all wounds and the relationship between the two future Hall of Famers improved.
All parties involved might believe this is what everyone needs. The Lakers are coming off a brutal season, falling short of expectations by not even reaching the playoffs. Meanwhile, LeBron is vying for one last title before retiring and Irving might want a change of scenery.
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Around the NBA, per Sam Amick of The Athletic, many believe the All-Star guard wants to play for the Lakers. If the front office wants its biggest star’s input on a potential move, it seems LeBron would support it.
“Joe, there are sources very close to the situation who strongly believe Irving is trying to make his way to the Lakers here and everything else is just (necessary) noise. The sense I get is that James is very open to the idea, but the dynamics are somewhat delicate too.”
Sam Amick on Kyrie Irving joining the Los Angeles Lakers, LeBron James
Naturally, a lot of other dominos would need to fall for Irving to make the move to Los Angeles. If he opted out of his contract, the Lakers could only sign him for the mid-level exception. Otherwise, he would need to opt-in and hope the Brooklyn Nets were willing to trade him for Russell Westbrook.
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There will be some clarity on Wednesday, with the deadline set for Irving to make a decision on his player option. If he declines it and becomes a free agent, the speculation about him reuniting with James will ramp up significantly.