Google News NBA insider reveals latest details in Lakers' pursuit of Kyrie Irving
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NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski is reporting that the Los Angeles Lakers have yet to make an aggressive offer for Kyrie Irving. With Kevin Durant requesting a trade from the Brooklyn Nets, Irving is also expected to find a new home before the new season starts.
Irving reportedly has the most interest in joining the Lakers as that's the franchise for which his idol Kobe Bryant played. Last week, Irving announced he was opting into the final year of his contract with the Nets. Just a week ago, it seemed Irving and Durant would return to the Nets for the 2022/2023 season.
“Similar to Durant, I think it’s a very slow-moving market right now. I think certainly unlike Kevin Durant, I think there is a limited number of teams where it might make sense. I do think there are teams that would like to do deals for him.
It’s different from the sign-and-trade he tried to get. That’s where teams would have had to sign him for multiple years. He’s essentially on an expiring contract, and I think that teams that just need to improve their talent, they can take some risks with Kyrie Irving," Wojnarowski reported, per Nets Daily.
Wojnarowski: The Lakers have yet to be aggressive in talks for Irving
The Lakers, Philadelphia 76ers and Dallas Mavericks are reportedly the three teams that have the biggest interest in acquiring Irving. The interest between Irving and the Lakers is mutual but the Purple and Gold have yet to make a really aggressive offer for the star guard.
“The Lakers have yet, I’m told, to be aggressive in trying to put a deal together to get [Kyrie] from Brooklyn. That may come, that may evolve with time, but so far right now, there’s no traction really on deals with either Irving or Kevin Durant.
They’ll develop over time, but listen both of these processes could play out, and they don’t have to trade either. They’re both under contract. They could bring them back to start the season. I don’t think that’s the ideal scenario for Brooklyn.
I think it’s ‘try to find get the biggest haul of assets they can.’ But again, there’s a lot of time left in this off-season and a lot more talks that are coming," Wojnarowski added. Reportedly, Lebron James is rooting for the Lakers to complete a trade for Irving.
Should that happen, the Lakers would likely send Russell Westbrook to the Nets and have a new trio consisting of Irving, James and Anthony Davis.
