The 2 most disappointing groups within the NBA reportedly may have matched up on a commerce that may have reunited LeBron James and Kyrie Irving in Los Angeles.
The Lakers internally “considered pursuing” Irving earlier this season whereas the Nets sidelined him over his refusal to get vaccinated for COVID-19, in accordance with a report by SNY’s Ian Begley.
Irving and James received an NBA championship collectively in Cleveland in 2016, however Irving compelled a commerce after the next season and landed in Boston earlier than signing with the Nets alongside Kevin Durant after two seasons with the Celtics. James received one other title with the Lakers in the course of the 2020 COVID bubble.
The Lakers (33-49) completed eleventh within the Western Convention and missed the playoffs, whereas the Nets had been swept within the first spherical by the Celtics.
Irving initially resumed taking part in street video games in January, however he wasn’t in a position to return for video games at Barclays Heart till late March after vaccination mandate restrictions had been amended by Mayor Eric Adams for athletes and performers.
The Nets in the end traded sad Huge 3 guard James Harden to Philadelphia in a package deal fronted by Ben Simmons, who by no means performed for the workforce and underwent again surgical procedure after the season ended.
Irving mentioned not too long ago on “The ETCs with Kevin Durant” podcast that he frightened at instances in the course of the season that he may be traded.
“It was only the journey to enjoy at that point, because I was sitting at home and — I don’t even want to say sitting at home, I was wondering at home what my future was going to look like, you know?” Irving mentioned. “Whether I was going to be traded, whether I was going to be released, whether I was going to get the opportunity to be on another team, how I was going to spin this for myself in a positive way.”
If Irving declines his $36.9 million choice for subsequent season he can be eligible to signal a five-year deal price up $246 million.
