Lakers News: LA Plagued By Kyrie Irving Trade That Wasn't
Your Los Angeles Lakers have been tied to point guard Kyrie Irving for as long as anyone can remember. Even when he was still in Cleveland, there was talk about him coming to Los Angeles.
However, since Irving's ex-Cleveland Cavaliers comrade LeBron James became a member of the Lakers, the narratives have only grown. And it didn't help that L.A. was trying to acquire him via trade last offseason.
So, when Irving was a free agent this past summer, it was speculated that maybe the Lakers would take another run to land him. The point guard was in attendance for the Lakers game six win over the Memphis Grizzlies last postseason. But it seems that he was there for more than just supporting his friend.
"Irving had a strong interest in reuniting with James -- the man he'd won an NBA championship with as Cavaliers back in 2016 -- either in Los Angeles or Dallas. Irving was there, sources close to him say, to send that very message."
It was always going to be tough to have Irving land in Los Angeles, but they could have found a way to make it work. Now with the Lakers trying to climb out of another mid-season hole, the whispers of a failed Irving trade are growing strong again.
"Seven months later, with the trade deadline now 23 days away and Davis and a 39-year-old James both healthy and playing as well as they ever have together, the impact of that choice reverberates with every loss, every whisper of frustration with lineup inconsistencies, every game in which the Lakers are outshot or run off the floor."
Irving may have not been the answer for this team, but he would have helped. He would have brought his strong shooting ability to the mix, but L.A. also would have lacked depth to make his signing happen.
The front office decided to go with continuity, rather than make a splash last offseason. It looked decent at the start of the year but has somewhat folded since.
The "what-if" of Irving still haunts the Lakers, but they can't dwell on it. A three-headed monster of James, Irving and Anthony Davis would have been terrifying for the rest of the league, but it just wasn't meant to be.
