Could Kyrie Irving end up with LeBron James and the Lakers?

As speculation continues to grow about where he will play next, the star point guard may well be set for a reunion with a famous former teammate in LA.

Could Kyrie Irving join the Los Angeles Lakers?

It’s safe to say that Kyrie Irving’s future with the Brooklyn Nets is uncertain. With reports suggesting that several teams are considering a move for Irving, it actually isn’t entirely surprising to hear the news that the Los Angeles Lakers are considered the “most significant threat” to acquire Irving should he actually opt to leave Brooklyn. With that said, it’s understood that in order for such a move to occur, Irving would have to agree to a significant pay cut. Indeed, a figure of approximately $30 million is what that cut is said to be.

To be clear, Irving has a player option worth $36 million for the 2022-23 season. Quite simply, if he wants to join the Lakers he will have to decline said option and then in turn sign a $6 million taxpayer exemption with the Lakers. As things stand that is the only reasonable way the Lakers would be able to acquire him with the current manner in which their roster is built.

What’s the catch with a Kyrie Irving deal?

Frankly, Irving has proven himself in recent times to be an extremely temperamental player such that figuring out what he’ll do next is nearly impossible. What can be assumed, however, is that voluntarily opting out of that amount of money is not likely to be Irving’s first choice. Add to that the fact that Irving stated earlier this year that he wouldn’t walk away from Kevin Durant and you’ve got yourself a situation that seems far fetched at best.

What’s being said about Kyrie Irving to the Lakers?

It’s worth noting that despite the aforementioned factors, the notion of a deal that would see Irving move to the Lakers is still gaining traction. According to Marc Stein, Irving has actually been in contact with his former Cavs teammate and present day Lakers star, LeBron James:

“There are credible rumblings in circulation that Irving, for starters, has indeed had some recent contact with Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James, his former Cleveland teammate, to presumably discuss a potential reunion in Hollywood. I’m told it would be a stretch, though, to suggest that the Lakers are currently pursuing Irving. They do not possess the trade assets to realistically engage Brooklyn in Irving trade talks even if he exercises his player option for next season.

Also: The Lakers, as things stand, couldn’t offer Irving more than the midlevel exception for tax-paying teams for next season if Irving bypasses his player option to opt for free agency. That MLE, remember, tops out at a projected $6.39 million. The idea of Irving declining his player option and essentially playing for $30 million less in L.A., even after the $15-plus million he willingly sacrificed last season by refusing the COVID-19 vaccine and missing the first 35 games of the season, just doesn’t seem plausible.”

Does Kyrie Irving stay or go?

Once again it should be said that any deal that sees Irving signed by the Lakers would be highly unlikely given the previously mentioned financial aspect. Logic would dictate that Irving will most probably sign a new long term agreement with the Nets or at worst the same, but with another team. Where the Lakers specifically are concerned, it’s a matter of cap space which they simply don’t have. On the other hand, stranger things have happened in the league and Irving himself is a player prone to doing the unexpected.