LeBron James 'adamant' about playing alongside Duke basketball alum

Will LeBron James get his wish and reunite with Kyrie Irving?

Former Duke basketball guard Kyrie Irving (Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports)

Per a report by Jovan Buha of The Athletic on Thursday, Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James has been "privately adamant" that the franchise pursue a trade for his former teammate, Kyrie Irving. The 2010-11 Duke basketball guard, now with the Brooklyn Nets, played alongside James for three years with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

James and Irving, each a former No. 1 overall draft pick, won Cleveland's first title together in 2016.

But for now, there appears to be a roadblock to an agreement between the Lakers and Nets. According to NBA insider Marc Stein, in return for Irving, the Nets are more interested in receiving instant contributors from the Lakers than draft picks, which doesn't jive with what the Lakers want to offer.

Long story short, unlike earlier this summer, reports suggest both front offices believe their teams could contend for a championship next year. With that in mind, any trade for Irving might require some third franchise to enter the discussion, preferably one in rebuild mode and willing to part with quality players for future assets.

Still, it's wise not to discount James' influence, despite the two-year extension he inked with the Lakers on Wednesday.

After all, he's LeBron James.

Meanwhile, Kyrie Irving is entering his 12th season in the league.

The 30-year-old played only 29 games last season after refusing to comply with local COVID-19 vaccine mandates. That said, Irving's 27.4 points per game tied a career-high.

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