Lakers News: Kyrie Irving Suggests He Doesn’t Need LeBron James to Succeed

Are we sure about this one?

Dallas Mavericks All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving had some time this week, as the kids say, after responding to a post on social media criticizing his lack of recent career success.

A tweet from Basketball Forever highlighted the past six seasons that Irving has played without current Laker and then Cavalier teammate LeBron James. 

Irving, who went to three straight Finals in Cleveland and won a title with James, felt a need to address the criticism head on this time around.

Kyrie sends a message 👀 pic.twitter.com/NfrHbmv0Hg

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) August 1, 2023

It was thought that Kyrie would be a Laker last season after an ultimately disastrous tenure in Brooklyn came to a merciful end when the Nets eventually traded both Irving and Kevin Durant. 

This teardown came after 2022's trade deadline netted Brooklyn forward Ben Simmons for guard James Harden who previously discussed the dysfunction within the team in his short stint there. 

Kyrie's career path has been well documented to this point. After winning the 2016 NBA championship in improbable fashion against the greatest regular season team of all time, Irving and company would bow out in five to the Warriors in 2017 after their addition of Kevin Durant. 

From that point, Irving requested a trade out of LeBron's shadow and got his wish through a deal that brought Isaiah Thomas and additional pieces to the Cavs. 

During an injury-plagued campaign that included missing the postseason, Boston bowed out to LeBron's Cavs in a seven game series for the Eastern Conference (san Irving, who was hurt) in 2018. 

The next year, Irving was healthy for the playoffs but lost in five games in the second round after he faced Milwaukee in the middle of Giannis' first MVP season. 

Despite telling a Boston home crowd that he'd stay a Celtic if the fans would have him back, Irving joined Durant in Brooklyn, much to the dismay of one Stephen A. Smith. 

After more playoff injuries in 2020 and 2021, Irving refused to get vaccinated amidst the NBA's new health and safety protocols in 2022 and ultimately caused enough of a distraction for James Harden's trade request. 

In a return to Boston for the first round of the 2022 playoffs, Irving was swept by his old team with a series that included incidents with fans and obscene gestures from the superstar guard. 

Despite a successful start to the Nets' 2023 campaign, Irving requested out of Brooklyn and got his wish through the Dallas Mavericks. Despite the deadline deal, Irving and Luka Doncic failed to make a postseason appearance and openly tanked to end the regular season. 

With a new max contract to return to Dallas, Irving has a chance to either rewrite his recent history or continue on the rocky path he's been walking. 

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