There have been multiple rumors reported during Monday’s news cycle that involved Kyrie Irving and LeBron James. The two have long been rumored to be interested in playing alongside one another again, and now may be as good a time as any.
Lakers Won’t Trade LeBron James To Mavs… Unless Luka Is The Return
“The Lakers simply aren’t interested in what Dallas could offer in a trade, according to multiple team sources. If Dallas is offering Luka Dončić for James, then yes, one would assume the Lakers will listen.”
Thoughts? 🤔
(via @jovanbuha, https://t.co/sfIcaU2hq9) pic.twitter.com/AQHG4Y0A4P
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) June 5, 2023
Both players and their teams are coming off of disappointing ends to their respective seasons, and the immediate future of each is unknown. This is more so true for Irving, who has had trouble finding a permanent home in the league after leaving Cleveland in 2017. But in being acquired by Dallas during the 2023 season, he may have found a landing spot that he can see a future with. And he apparently wants James to join him there.
One of the initial reports from the day came from Shams Charania. He tweeted that Kryie Irving had already reached out and talked to James not just about playing together, but doing so in Dallas.
This sent the rumor mill into full swing. It seems like an outlandish idea at first, given what LeBron James has invested into the city of Los Angeles and his post-playing career. Add in the fact that it will be hard to get him to leave town during his son’s freshman year at the University of Southern California, and it would be difficult to see him playing anywhere but LA next year.
But there are those who believe that the two sides could work something out. According to The Athletic’s Jovan Buha, the Lakers aren’t going to be interested in any kind of trade package that the Mavericks have to offer…unless it includes Luka Doncic.
“I can see LeBron joining the Mavs — a year from now. Dallas is on the board off potential landings spots for LeBron if he opts out. … But right now, it’s an impossibility.”
— @getnickwright on report Kyrie is recruiting LeBron to join Mavs: pic.twitter.com/6yZSCiqbXR
— First Things First (@FTFonFS1) June 5, 2023
The idea, of course, would be to create the league’s latest and greatest super team. With Doncic and presumably Irving already in the mix, adding a third superstar would theoretically make Dallas one of the teams to beat out West. We know about LeBron’s fondness of Doncic and the thought of them playing together is an enticing one. But would the Mavs have what it takes to get a return that the Lakers deem fair?
Unlikely, says Buha. He gives an example of a package that Dallas could offer, and it looks something like this: Tim Hardaway Jr, Davis Bertans, Josh Green, Jaden Hardy, 10th overall pick in 2023, plus future draft considerations.
This would not only deplete whatever assets and bench unit that the Mavericks had behind their theoretical Big 3, but the Lakers would likely scoff at an offer that doesn’t include bigger names or higher draft picks.
There are other ways that LeBron James could find his way to Dallas if he really wanted to be there. And while it is an unlikely scenario, it is certainly something worth keeping an eye on as we enter the summer.
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