Kyrie Irving agreed to exercise his player option to opt into the final year of the deal he signed with the Brooklyn Nets in 2019. But with Irving set to become an unrestricted free agent next summer and his future with the Nets uncertain, some teams poked around to check on his availability during the offseason.
One of those teams was the Los Angeles Lakers. In July, Chris B. Haynes of Yahoo Sports reported that the Nets and Lakers had preliminary conversations on a deal that would swap Irving and former NBA Most Valuable Player Russell Westbrook. But those conversations never advanced past the initial stages.
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Kyrie Not Part of Lakers “Long-term Plans”
Irving going to the Lakers would reunite him with his former Cleveland Cavaliers co-star LeBron James. Together the All-Star duo slayed the 73-9 Golden State Warriors en route to becoming the first team to overcome a 3-1 deficit in the NBA Finals. But NBA insider Shams Charania of “The Athletic” says there are no plans for a Kyrie, LeBron reunion as the All-Star guard is no longer apart of the Lakers’ “long-term plans”.
“So as July wore on and led into August, Brooklyn shut the door on any Irving trade – closing the window on an Irving-James reunion. The Nets made clear they had no intention to move Irving and ultimately resolved Kevin Durant’s trade request to continue building their championship hopes around All-Stars in Irving, Durant, and Ben Simmons,” Charania writes per the Athletic with Sam Amick and Jovan Buha.
“As for the prospect of adding Irving via free agency next summer, sources say he’s currently not a part of the Lakers’ long-term plans.”
Kyrie Opting in Foiled Lakers Plans for Pursuit
Despite exercising his $36.9 million player option, Irving’s position in Brooklyn never felt safe. His being on an expiring deal almost made a potential trade seem more likely after he and the Nets could not agree on the terms of a max contract extension.
But actually, it was the opposite. Charania reports that Los Angeles made “multiple inquiries” about the Nets star. But when Irving opted into the final year of his deal with Brooklyn, they moved on as he had affirmed his commitment to the franchise for at least one more season.
“Throughout the summer, Irving was the prized superstar whose name was front and center of Lakers fans,” the insiders added.
“Sources say the Lakers made multiple inquiries and submitted concepts to the Nets on potential Irving deals in July and August, but upon opting into his $36.9 million player option in late June, Irving had committed to Brooklyn for the upcoming season.”
Last year Irving only played 29 regular season games for the Nets because he refused to get the mandated COVID-19 vaccination. The vaccine was required for him to play home games at Barclays Center before the mandate was dropped in March. It has contributed to the Nets front office’s reluctance to offer him a long-term extension.
But beyond last year, Irving has yet to play an entire season with Brooklyn since signing with the franchise in 2019. This year is not only a season for Irving to prove his worth to the Nets but other potential suitors that may garner his interest when he is a free agent in 2023.
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Lakers Change Course on Kyrie Irving Blockbuster Deal