Google News NBA insider reveals what LeBron James has been telling privately to people
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LeBron James maybe signed a two-year extension with the Los Angeles Lakers but he still wants the team to improve their roster by trading for Kyrie Irving. The Lakers expressed interest in acquiring Irving at the start of free agency but the Nets weren't satisfied with the offer the Lakers made.
Two weeks ago, James became eligible to sign a two-year, $97 million extension with the Lakers. On Wednesday, James and the Lakers announced they agreed on a two-year extension. The Lakers have secured James long-term and their main star now wants to reunite with Irving.
According to Jovan Buha of The Athletic, James has been telling privately he wants the Lakers to improve and trade for Irving. “The primary complication in James’ decision was that he has been privately adamant that the Lakers still need to improve the current roster and trade for superstar point guard Kyrie Irving, league sources have told The Athletic,” Buha wrote.
James wants the Lakers to replace Russell Westbrook with Irving
After the reports came out revealing that James pushed for the Lakers to replace Westbrook with Irving, Westbrook didn't appear to be too happy. During a summer league game, Westbrook and James were in the same arena but never acknowledged each other.
"But with all eyes in the arena—and on TV and social media—on James and Westbrook, it was interesting, if not telling, that they never publicly interacted. Especially when considering their bromance at summer league less than 12 months ago," Buha wrote in July.
Meanwhile, new Lakers head coach Darvin Ham threw his support behind Westbrook earlier this offseason. “Counted out prematurely,” he told Andscape’s Marc J. Spears regarding Westbrook. “Counted out. Prematurely.
I’ve had some great interactions with Russ, in person, over dinner, over the phone, over text messages. I love Russell Westbrook, man. Just his mentality, his approach. Just to see him, a guy of that magnitude and everything he’s done in the league to get hated on.
But being me, I got a wholehearted plan, a clear plan on how I’m going to use him. I showed it to him, sat down, brought stuff up for him. I think he’s going to flourish. We ain’t going to try to curtail his energy.
We’re just going to diversify it, redirect it”. Westbrook didn't impress in his first season in Los Angeles as he and James didn't appear to be a good fit. With Irving, James won a championship and that's probably one of the reasons why he wants to reunite with the star guard.