The Los Angeles Lakers have done a wonderful job of roster building this offseason. After making it to the Western Conference Finals, the Lakers have brought back the same core (for cheap) with several key additions to the rotation.
While the end result this summer has been great, the Lakers have also left the door open for some midseason shuffling if need be. Most notably, the team all but confirmed that D’Angelo Russell will be traded at some point next season if things start to look like the Western Conference Finals for him.
Regardless of what the Lakers do, LeBron James is naturally going to have some input as the face of the franchise. If Russell is being shopped around, LeBron may attempt to leverage Los Angeles to get what he ultimately desires, which still seems to be to play with Kyrie Irving once more.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst — who has been covering LeBron extensively his entire career — explained why he believes LeBron is still potentially targeting a reunion with Kyrie on his ‘Brian Windhorst and The Hoop Collective‘ podcast.
"“I will say this: I do think LeBron has an interest in playing with Kyrie Irving again. I think he likes the idea of playing with Kyrie — the concept of playing with Kyrie and Anthony Davis. I have long said the best big-man pairing that LeBron’s ever had, as far as pure fit, is Anthony Davis. I believe the best guard pairing LeBron’s ever had is Kyrie Irving”"
NBA Rumors: LeBron James’ desire to play with Kyrie Irving could spell doom for Lakers
The fact that Windhorst clarified that LeBron may be interested in playing with Irving and Anthony Davis is very important to note. It would be one thing for LeBron to eventually leave for Dallas, especially if Bronny James is drafted there. But to play with both Davis and Kyrie, it would have to happen in LA.
And that is where the doom sets in. Kyrie has bounced around from team to team and there is a very real possibility that by the time January rolls around the Mavericks will want to get out of the Kyrie business. As we know from last year, the point guard does not have much of a market and that could give the Lakers the chance to finally trade for him.
Los Angeles has a deal to make the money work as well. Russell, Rui Hachimura and Jalen Hood-Schifino can be packaged for Kyrie and the money would be almost identical. For Dallas, this would be good enough of a return to warrant moving Kyrie, especially if things are going sideways.
Most Lakers fans would be against this move and rightfully so. What made this team successful was the depth on the roster, not a third star. Los Angeles should have already learned its lesson about trading for a polarizing point guard. Hopefully this time, the team doesn’t make the same mistake.