“I don’t think LeBron is entirely sure of Kyrie” NBA Insider believes Lakers could have better alternatives other than Kyrie Irving
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Kevin O'Connor talks about possible reunion of LeBron James and Kyrie Irving
LeBron James had long summer in 2022. Thanks to his Lakers teammates, he didn’t make it into the 2022 post-season, despite playing his hearts out on the court. Los Angeles Lakers finished 11th in the West, and huge changes looked like a sure thing at one of the most decorated franchises. So, when the free agency and trade window opened, many eyes were on the Lakers to see who they pick to change their fortune. One name that constantly pops up in rumors was Kyrie Irving.
Since Kyrie Irving was put on the market by the Nets, only one team has shown any real interest in acquiring him and that was the Los Angeles Lakers. Their megastar LeBron James and Irving won a title together in Cleveland, and have hoped to reunite on the West coast to repeat the history.
There is no question that a ‘hungry’ franchise like the Lakers is looking to get back in the title picture with the “always win now” roster. In the given situation, swapping underperforming Russell Westbrook for Kyrie Irving certainly increases their odds. However, analyst Kevin O’Connor feels that the LA team should go in a different direction as they look to upgrade.
Are LeBron James and Los Angeles Lakers better without Kyrie Irving?
17-time NBA Champions are looking to go a step ahead of their rivals Celtics in the Championship total. While it would be just a statistical win for them, currently their performances are completely contrasting their aspirations. But they had many veteran stars on shorter deals, allowing them to make a quick fix in the upcoming season.
They only had 2 of their main players tied down for a longer period – LeBron James and Anthony Davis. After putting faith in these two megastars, the Lakers wanted to add some fire-power and steel to their roaster, allowing them to push for a championship.
While they brought in Russell Westbrook on another megadeal after AD, they looked like a great champion team on paper. But the experiment failed miserably and now they are stuck with an untradeable hefty contract of Russ. Though star power is essential for competing for an NBA title, team chemistry plays a bigger role in the long run.
So when the Lakers are thinking about getting Kyrie for Westbrook, they might even have to go through his recent past to make any hasty decision. Even though Kyrie Irving and LeBron James have a successful track record, he might not be the answer to the Lakers’ problems. Looking at his career, there is no telling when he might decide he wants out again.
During a recent episode of ‘The Mismatch,’ Kevin O’Connor talked about the idea of the Lakers making a trade for Kyrie Irving. He feels they should work out a deal with the Indiana Pacers to bolster their depth.
Kevin O’Connor said, “If I’m LeBron, I’m not totally sure I want Kyrie. I might rather have Buddy Hield and Myles Turner and whatever other additional flexibility you get from those guys in a deal.”
Chris Vernon, who was on the show with O’Connor, went further and said, “when’s the last time Kyrie Irving made a team better like when he was on the court they were better than he when he was off the court”
Kevin O’Connor brings up a great point. Going after-depth pieces might be a better option than making a home run swing in a trade for Irving. When LA won the title back in 2020, they did so by surrounding their star duo with defense and shooting.There is no denial about former Rookie of the year Kyrie’s abilities and capabilities, but his actions and attitude are hampering his legacy and taking him away from being a HOF guard.
As for the Lakers, they are currently working on trades for Myles turner and Buddy Heild, while filling up their roaster with a young and talented support cast of Thomas Bryant, Scottie Pippen Jr, and Juan Toscano-Anderson, and Stanley Johnson.
LeBron James has shown that he can still compete at a high level, and if AD can stay healthy, LA will have one of the league’s top duos again who delivered a championship in 2020. Pair them with reliable supporting cast members like Turner and Hield, and they might have a chance to make some noise in the league once again.
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Kunal Chawda
(600 Articles Published)