Los Angeles Lakers: How Kevin Durant’s free agency impacts the team

Durant To The Knicks Hurts Lakers Chances At Landing Kyrie Irving

If Durant chooses New York, the Lakers would be in some trouble. With the greatest odds implying that Kevin Durant will play for the New York Knicks next season, the Lakers have to hope otherwise.

If Durant does indeed sign with New York, the likelihood that Kyrie Irving will follow would only grow greater. In May, Steven A. Smith told viewers that it was a 95 percent chance that Irving would be joining the Knicks this offseason, and if KD is going to sign there, I definitely see this holding true.

It makes all the sense in the world. Irving has proven to be at his best when he’s the number two guy on his team. Teaming up again with LeBron James in Los Angeles would work wonders for Irving’s legacy, but if he could do virtually the same thing with a younger version of James in Durant, why wouldn’t he?

Durant electing to join the Knicks would significantly hurt the Lakers chances of landing Irving. If Durant doesn’t join the Knicks, however, Irving may not even consider a move to New York, and by New York, I mean New York City.