ESPN Continues Linking Mavs' Kyrie Irving to LeBron James' Lakers - Why?

ESPN may want Dallas Mavericks superstar Kyrie Irving on the Los Angeles Lakers just as much, if not more, than LeBron James himself.

SALT LAKE CITY — Before the Dallas Mavericks acquired Kyrie Irving from the Brooklyn Nets, there was significant speculation regarding the Los Angeles Lakers being a potential landing spot to reunite with LeBron James. 

The latest storylines linking Irving and the Lakers were sparked by the 2023 NBA All-Star Game when James, one of the two captains, used one of his early picks to select Irving. James announced his pick of Irving by calling him “the wizard and young god.”

“It’s always good to see him," James said of Irving. "I’m very proud of him. Very proud of the man that he has become in his life right now.”

Irving was happy to be selected to Team LeBron and reminisced on being a witness to the accomplishments that James had achieved during their time together as members of the Cleveland Cavaliers. 

"I was happy to get picked to his team. Wish we could have gotten the win," Irving said. "I've been a firsthand witness to a lot of his great accomplishments. I was there when he was passing a lot of guys on Cleveland and then us being competitors, it only made the game a lot better. I think we've learned a lot from one another and just wishing (him) nothing but the best."

Mavericks' Kyrie Irving being picked by LeBron James for the NBA All-Star Game:

"I was happy to get picked to his team. Wish we could have gotten the win. I've been a firsthand witness to a lot of his great accomplishments. I was there when he was passing a lot of guys on… pic.twitter.com/TBcQyIaRSh

— Grant Afseth (@GrantAfseth) February 20, 2023

Whether it's Brian Windhorst or Vince Carter, it seems almost daily that Irving's name is brought up by ESPN, linking him to the Lakers ahead of his impending free agency. The day after James used the NBA All-Star Game draft to select Irving, the conversation continued. 

“LeBron is on full on recruitment mode, saying wonderful things about Kyrie," Windhorst said during an appearance on ESPN's "Get Up" on Monday. 

After Windhorst's comment, Carter reaffirmed the notion that James was using his All-Star captain status to further his recruiting efforts. 

“Come on, Windy! You know what he’s doing, you’ve been around him long enough," Carter responded. "LeBron is smart, he plays chess, he’s always thinking ahead of everyone else.”

Despite Irving not even being a member of the Mavs for one full month, his status as a soon-to-be free agent will naturally continue to draw speculation and reporting regarding his possible decision. A lot has to play out before he knows what he's going to do, including if he deems the Mavs as the right long-term home.

The Mavs can offer Irving a five-year, designated veteran's maximum contract worth $272.9 million, if they sought to do so. There is a significant financial advantage for the Mavs at their disposal in the event they put on a press to retain him. 

The Lakers acquired D'Angelo Russell in part of the Russell Westbrook trade, and he will be a free agent this summer, too. There has been reporting suggesting that Los Angeles seeks to re-sign Russell, diminishing the outlook to make an aggressive pursuit for Irving's services this summer. 

In the meantime, Irving will seek to contend with Luka Doncic on the Mavs. The team is 0-2 in the two games they've played together with the outcome being decided by late-game execution in each. As the two build chemistry together, many around the league expect big things to be achieved. 

Irving is averaging 28.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 7.0 assists in four appearances with the Mavs. His most recent performance featured him scoring 26 of his 36 points in the fourth quarter in a loss against the Minnesota Timberwolves to rally Dallas back from down 26 at one point.

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