There’s no “overwhelming sentiment” from the Los Angeles Lakers that they want NBA All-Star guard Kyrie Irving, according to a Western Conference general manager who spoke to Heavy Sports.
Superstar LeBron James wants the Lakers to acquire Irving this summer. However, Los Angeles’ front office isn’t completely sold on courting Irving, who becomes an unrestricted free agent this offseason.
“I would not like the message very much if I were on the Lakers or if I were in the front office,” the general manager said in regard to Irving attending two Lakers games in the playoffs. “There’s not an overwhelming sentiment from them like, ‘We gotta go get Kyrie.’ It’s just LeBron.
“That sets up a big clash, LeBron vs. the org. You know, the last time LeBron won a clash like that, they got Russell Westbrook. Maybe he should think about that.”
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Kyrie Irving, Dallas Mavericks, LeBron James & Los Angeles Lakers Updates
James wanted the Lakers to trade for Irving when the All-NBA guard requested a trade from the Brooklyn Nets this season. However, the Dallas Mavericks acquired Irving, who averaged 27.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 5.5 assists with the Nets and Mavericks.
The Lakers don’t have the cap space required to sign Irving to a max contract unless they don’t re-sign Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura in restricted free agency. Even if Los Angeles’ top decision-makers alter their stance on Irving, it doesn’t seem like Dallas is interested in doing a sign-and-trade deal.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Kyrie Irving, Dallas Mavericks, LeBron James & Los Angeles Lakers Updates
According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the Mavericks have no interest in a sign-and-trade deal with the Lakers that features the club getting D’Angelo Russell in exchange for Irving. In fact, all indications are that Dallas remains intent on re-signing Irving.
“While we await a clear indication about the Lakers’ intentions [regarding free agency], with no verifiable signal to date that pursuing Irving is among their offseason priorities, league sources say that the Mavericks would have no interest in a sign-and-trade with the Lakers that features D’Angelo Russell as the primary Dallas-bound player,” Stein wrote. “All indications are that the Mavericks remain intent on re-signing Irving.”
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