“‘As Kyrie turns’ that’s the name of the soap opera” - NBA analyst says the Kyrie Irving situation is the most “nonsensical nonsense” he’s seen, says if it was baseball his ‘a** would’ve struck out’
Brooklyn Nets superstar Kyrie Irving has been making the airwaves this week. His contract negotiations with the franchise have reportedly reached an "impasse." Irving has also been linked to the LA Lakers and the New York Knicks.
On ESPN's "First Take," Stephen A. Smith spoke about how Irving could be on the move to the Lakers. Smith believes his relationship with LeBron James will play a pivotal role. Smith said:
"I happen to know he's calling LeBron. Isn't it beautiful how the world turns? There was once a soap opera called 'As the World Turns.' 'As Kyrie turns,' is the name of the soap opera, we going to hold on to that all summer long. This is where he's at and the audacity."
Smith also brought up Kyrie's history of leaving James and the Boston Celtics and believes that he will do the same to Kevin Durant. Smith continued:
"The same guy that left LeBron James, the same guy that left Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, the same guy that is literally on the verge of leaving Kevin Durant, he's basically saying to the NBA world, 'Oh, I can be trusted.'
"Talk about three strikes and you're out. You're lucky this is basketball and not baseball or you're a** would have struck out already. This is some of the most nonsensical nonsense I've ever seen."
How much would Kyrie Irving improve the Lakers?
Kyrie Irving is undoubtedly one of the best guards in the league. However, his availability over the last couple of years has appeared to stain his image. The Brooklyn Nets are worried about offering him a long-term contract because of this.
Kyrie Irving in his 3 season with the Nets:
27.1 PPG
4.7 RPG
6.0 APG
1.4 SPG
49.0 FG%
40.6 3P%
92.0 FT%
6 playoff wins
Time to reunite with LeBron? https://t.co/yHNec2Vk6U
Irving will reinstate the LA Lakers as the favorites to win the championship next season. Having played with LeBron James before and having won a title with him, Irving would seamlessly fit in with this Lakers roster. To make this happen, the Lakers will have to move on from Russell Westbrook.
During the 2021-22 season for the Nets, Kyrie Irving averaged 27.4 points on 46.9% shooting and 41.8% from the perimeter. He also shot 91.5% from the line.
Irving is an off guard who can put up big numbers. His incredible handling of the ball, along with his marksmanship, makes him a nightmare for opposing defenses.
Kyrie Irving is the 5th player with multiple career games of 50 points and 75% FG pct in the shot-clock era.
He and Michael Jordan are the only primary guards with multiple such games. https://t.co/HT5dD59vBL
With Kyrie on this Lakers roster, LeBron would essentially be the orchestrator of the offense. The negatives of acquiring someone like Kyrie is that the Lakers defense doesn't necessarily improve and his availability is often uncertain.