How can LA Lakers land Kyrie Irving in next season? Understanding the specifics of acquiring former NBA champion
Kyrie Irving is expected to be one of the biggest names on the free-agent market this season. The Dallas Mavericks are sure to do their best to retain him, but other teams could enter the mix to acquire his services.
Before Irving was traded from the Brooklyn Nets, the LA Lakers were among the most interested teams. Given his history with LeBron James, LA sees him as an upgrade to get them closer to title contender status.
With the Russell Westbrook contract off the books, the Lakers now will have some money to spend in free agency. However, spending it on Irving would once again mean sacrificing all of their depth.
In a story in The Atheltic, Jovan Buha dove into what it would take for the Lakers to sign Irving this offseason. He wrote that creating space for a max slot would mean moving on from all the players they acquired at the trade deadline.
"To create cap space, they would need to renounce the free-agent rights of Russell and Rui Hachimura, decline a team option on Beasley and waive Vanderbilt and Mo Bamba. As of now, the organization's plan is to run things back with most, if not all, of their free agents."
Through his first 13 games with the Dallas Mavericks, Kyrie Irving is averaging 28.4 points and 6.1 assists on 51.0% shooting.
Should the LA Lakers pursue Kyrie Irving this offseason?
There is no denying that Kyrie Irving is an elite talent, but the LA Lakers are better off riding with what they have now. After revamping their roster at the trade deadline, they once again have a supporting cast that makes sense around their star duo.
When LeBron James and Anthony Davis led LA to a title in the bubble in 2020, they had a good mix of defense and shooting around them. After making multiple moves this year, they once again have that same blueprint. Going away from that after a brief stint together could prove to be fatal once again.
The new-look Lakers have the potential to be a competitive team, they just need more time together. Among those who have played well since joining the fray is D'Angelo Russell. Since coming over from Minnesota, he's averaged 17.9 ppg and 6.4 apg while shooting 38.6% from deep.
In today's NBA, having depth is essential for making a deep playoff run. With that in mind, the Lakers are better off prioritizing the group they have now as opposed to going for a big splash in free agency.