"He reached and attempted to mend fences; It lasted for a short time" - NBA insider reveals LeBron James tried to recruit Kyrie Irving in 2019, relationship soured again after guard's refusal
LeBron James will go down as one of the greatest and most decorated players of all time. It's no secret that the four-time NBA 'MVP' has long been admired, and has been on the wishlist of multiple talents to team up with down the line.
A large portion of the collaborations involving other stars have seen significant success for James and company. However, a stifling regret surrounding any star, if any, would have to involve Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving.
According to NBA Insider Brian Windhorst, Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James reportedly reached out to Kyrie Irving ahead of free agency in 2019 to mend fences.
Windhorst stated:
“A couple of years ago when Kyrie was headed to free agency, LeBron James was interested in trying to recruit him to the Los Angeles Lakers,”
Kyrie Irving entered free agency during the summer of 2019. After a ton of speculation surrounding the New York Knicks, it was reported that Irving would be committing to the Brooklyn Nets. He was keen to play alongside 'All-Star' Kevin Durant and signed a four-year $136.5 million deal.
The Brooklyn Nets duo have since then witnessed their honeymoon phase come to an end. Although the pair have seen some success with the Nets, they haven't nearly accomplished anything that they set out to do.
Windhorst went on to add:
“And he reached and attempted to mend fences. It lasted for a short time. When Kyrie didn’t choose the Lakers, their relationship went away again.”
Kyrie Irving and LeBron James spent three years with the Cleveland Cavaliers. A stint that encapsulated renowned success for the Cavaliers, including making the NBA Finals in those three consecutive seasons.
They hit the pinnacle of their triumph in 2016, when the Cleveland Cavaliers rallied back from a '3-1' deficit in the NBA Finals. They did it against arguably the greatest team of all time, the Golden State Warriors. The Cavs went on to see out the Warriors in seven games, eventually capturing NBA gold for the first time in franchise history.
The following season saw the Cavaliers make the NBA Finals once again, as mentioned above. However, their campaign ended prematurely, falling short at the hands of the new-look Warriors, which included former 'MVP' Kevin Durant.
The defeat led to the NBA Champion requesting a trade from the Cleveland-based franchise, which was granted. Irving joined forces with Gordon Hayward at the Boston Celtics before eventually signing with the Brooklyn Nets a couple of years later.
LeBron James and Kyrie Irving's career trajectory
Since their disband, the two stars have had rather contrasting careers so far. LeBron James has gone on to see championship success as recently as 2020. Irving, on the other hand, is yet to make a conference Finals appearance without James.
However, it's important to note that Kyrie Irving has also seen his fair share of injuries. Those setbacks have rendered him unable to play in the postseason on more than one occasion.
The duo of LeBron James and Kyrie Irving had viewers glued to their seats during their time at the Cavaliers. It's safe to say that this alliance could once again take the NBA by storm.