LeBron James has been in contact with Kyrie Irving: report

The NBA rumor mill is starting to heat up ahead of draft night and the Los Angeles Lakers are at the center of much of the conversation. While Russell Westbrook has been embroiled in rumors for six months now, there is a new goalkeeper who is linked with the team. Recently, Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving was the talk of the town in Los Angeles.

The seven-time All-Star is at an ‘impasse’ with the Nets over a new contract, per Shams Charania of The Athletic. This opened the door for the keeper to switch teams. The Lakers are an interesting possibility as Irving and LeBron James had a lot of success together and then they were teammates with the Cleveland Cavaliers, winning a championship in 2016.

Irving hails from the East Coast and grew up as a Nets fan, so he’s in his sweet spot. However, the three years were tough in Brooklyn and he might regret leaving LeBron. Going across the country and playing for the Lakers could be the career reset he needs. Although the two had an ugly breakup, LeBron seems to be okay with a reunion.

According NBA insider Marc Steinthe Lakers star has spoken to Irving about the possibility of joining Los Angeles, but that’s far from a guarantee that it will happen.

“There are credible rumors circulating that Irving, for starters, has indeed had recent contact with Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James… I’m told it would be a stretch, however, to suggest that the Lakers are currently suing Irving,” Stein wrote.

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How could the Lakers pull this off?

If Irving no longer wants to be a Net, the Lakers have two options: sign him in free agency or trade for him. Unless they’re willing to give up Anthony Davis, a trade is unlikely to happen as Brooklyn won’t want anything to do with Westbrook. Unless the Lakers find a team willing to take over the guard’s salary, the only way to sign Irving is if he was willing to accept an exceptional mid-level contract with Los Angeles.

If he did that, he would risk losing up to $30 million in annual salary. It’s hard to imagine Irving would do that, but he’s not the most predictable player in the NBA.

Irving in LA is a pipe dream

Ultimately, these rumors are most likely a bargaining tactic of Irving and his representation. As previously stated, he is in his perfect location in Brooklyn. If they can stay healthy, they’re better than the Lakers right now.

If Los Angeles didn’t have Westbrook’s contract to deal with, then perhaps a move could be possible. Irving had a great relationship with Kobe Bryant during his lifetime, so it might be tempting to wear the same purple and gold jerseys the Hall of Famer wore. If the Lakers want to pressure the guard, they need to look at that aspect of the franchise.

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