NBA Trade Rumors: Insider suggests LA Lakers considered trading for 7x All-Star in move that would have reunited him with LeBron James
LA Lakers superstar LeBron James was almost reunited with his former teammate Kyrie Irving this season, as the Brooklyn Nets held discussions about trading the superstar guard.
According to Ian Begley of SNY TV, the Lakers considered the possibility of trading for Irving during the season. That's because it was widely reported that the Nets were considering moving on from their superstar guard due to his unwillingness to get COVID-19 vaccination. Begley said:
"Several outlets, including SNY, reported that the Nets had been open to talking to teams about potential Irving trades during that time. Obviously, nothing came to fruition. But some members of the Lakers organization discussed the possibility of trading for Irving during that stretch of the season, sources say. The deal would have obviously reunited Irving with LeBron James. It’s unclear if the Lakers reached any internal consensus on Irving at the time."
The Lakers made a colossal mess of their roster this year. James hoped for a change in personnel ahead of trade deadline day, but no new players arrived.
A few Knicks/Nets notes on Rudy Gobert, the Raptors and other topics: sny.tv/articles/how-d…
Political turmoil with LeBron James and LA Lakers
While the LA Lakers stumbled on the court, there have also been rumblings off it regarding the personnel running the franchise. That is going to be key when finding the team's next coach.
LeBron James is reportedly an unhappy man after Rob Pelinka, the general manager, did not make any moves at the Feb. 10 trade deadline.
James played a vital role in the acquisition of Russell Westbrook in the summer. The front office wanted Buddy Hield of the Sacramento Kings or free agent DeMar DeRozan. However, they yielded to James' demands, and that backfired tremendously.
If LeBron James continues at a pace of 25.0 PPG, playing roughly 75 games per season, he would be NBA's all-time leading scorer in 2022-23.
Moreover, Klutch Sports Group, run by Rich Paul (James' agent and best friend), has tried to exert control over the franchise to sign players represented by the agency. There is also the possibility of James leaving the Lakers for the Cleveland Cavaliers with the objective of winning another championship and playing with his son Bronny.
The LA Lakers are also in search of a new coach after firing Frank Vogel after the regular season. There have been rumors of Phil Jackson coming back, but the franchise is also looking at Doc Rivers and Quinn Snyder.
The LA Lakers struggled all season, and there needs to be a long discussion between the key personnel in charge of running the franchise. Things have continued to spiral out of control on the court, and it appears to be a similar case off the court too.