The Los Angeles Lakers are reportedly uninterested in pursuing Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving in free agency - and it seems LeBron James would agree with that stance given their run to the Western Conference semi-finals.
Despite only arriving in Dallas during February, Irving is an unrestricted free agent this offseason, which has already begun for the Mavericks after missing out on the postseason entirely. It was widely reported that the Lakers were interested in acquiring the eight-time all-star from the Brooklyn Nets ahead of the trade deadline.
James admitted as much after the deal went down. The Lakers forward made clear his disappointment at the front office for not taking the opportunity to reunite the former Cleveland Cavaliers team-mates.
“Definitely disappointed,“ James told ESPN. “I can't sit here and say I'm not disappointed at not being able to pick up such a talent, someone I had great chemistry with, who I know I have chemistry with, who can help you win championships.
“But my focus has shifted, my focus has shifted back to where it should be, and that's this club now, what we have in the locker room. I don't get too excited about the possibilities of things that can be.
“I kinda envision myself on what it can [be], but I don't invest it all the way in until I know it's happening. When it does not happen, I'm back locked in on the job at hand.
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“We had an opportunity, our name was out there, we had an opportunity, it didn't happen, we move on and try to finish the season strong and get a bid into the postseason where I feel if we go in healthy, we can compete with anybody.“
That prediction is proving true. The Lakers eliminated the second-seed Memphis Grizzlies in six games during the first round to set up a Western Conference semifinals series against the reigning champion Golden State Warriors.
The Lakers also had to proceed through the play-in tournament to reach the playoffs. James scored a game-high 30 points and led the Lakers to a 108-102 overtime win at home over the Minnesota Timberwolves to secure the seven seed.
Despite being a lower seed and lacking home-court advantage against the Warriors, the Lakers, with a healthy Anthony Davis alongside James, look like legitimate contenders to come out of the Western Conference. Any need for Irving now seems far less pressing, something the franchise reportedly agrees with.
Tim Cato, who covers the Mavericks for The Athletic, reports in no uncertain terms that the Lakers are not interested in Irving. “No matter how close Irving might be to James, the Lakers are disinterested in pursuing him in free agency, say league sources,” Cato writes.
“To acquire him would require jettisoning several deadline acquisitions, who have helped revitalize their season and land them in a second-round series against the Golden State Warriors.”
