Los Angeles Lakers Should Tread Carefully In Any Potential Move For Kyrie Irving

Another season of the Los Angeles Lakers coming up short of their goal of winning a championship brings yet another offseason of potential blockbuster trade talk. And this time, the biggest name being mentioned in any potential Lakers trade is Dallas Mavericks point guard Kyrie Irving.

By all accounts, the Lakers turned in a surprising campaign just by making it to the postseason following a 2-10 start. Secondly, the season was a successful one just by the sheer fact that Los Angeles was able to advance all the way to the Western Conference Finals after shedding Russell Westbrook for two key starters in addition to a role player at the trade deadline.

But the ultimate goal — and realistically, the only one — in Los Angeles is to raise another championship banner.

While the Lakers came up short of their goal, they need to be very careful when it comes to any potential blockbuster trade surrounding a star, particularly Irving.

Because the Lakers came up short for the third straight season, combined with LeBron James’ postgame retirement chatter following the team’s Game 4 loss, Los Angeles will enter its most important offseason since they acquired Anthony Davis back in 2019.

James made headlines following the Lakers’ 113-111 loss to the Denver Nuggets earlier in the week, leaving the idea open of a possible retirement. The comments came as a shock to many considering James still has two years — one is a player option worth over $50.6 million for the 2024-25 season — and $97.1 million remaining on his deal with Los Angeles.

Considering James still has plenty of juice left in the tank — he nearly single-handedly led the Lakers to victory in Game 4, posting 40 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists — it would be hard to see him walk away. But a big reason why James brought up the idea of retirement other than pure emotions following a tough loss is this — he knows the Lakers as currently constructed aren’t good enough to win a championship.

Is an aging, injury-prone James/Anthony Davis-led duo surrounded by the likes of solid role player fits such as Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura and D’Angelo Russell good enough to make it to the playoffs and make a deep run? Sure.

Is it good enough to win a championship and compete with the likes of younger and more athletic rosters such as the Nuggets, Boston Celtics and Miami Heat? Simply put, no.

This is James’ way of sending a message to Los Angeles. And while it doesn’t directly relate to the Lakers making a move for Irving, it’s a message to Lakers brass that the organization needs to add that missing piece.

The Lakers’ options for a mega star via trade will likely be limited. While some have pitched the idea of Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young, the more likely — and available —option will be Irving.

We all know why this potential move interests James — he and Irving led the Cleveland Cavaliers to an NBA title in 2016. Since their rough breakup led to Irving joining the Boston Celtics in 2017, they’ve made up and are on good terms again. The idea of this former duo teaming up again was previously teased at the trade deadline this season before the Brooklyn Nets ultimately decided the Mavericks’ offer was better than the Lakers’ one.

It also helps that Irving is durable — when he wants to play — and could play ball-handler, which lessens James’ workload as he winds down his career. It also doesn’t hurt that Irving can create his own shots and can be clutch when called upon, something that could have made a difference when the Lakers loss three games by six points or less to the Nuggets.

While the idea looks great on paper, it’s a mess for two reasons — salary cap and the fact that Irving is an enigma.

It wasn’t too long ago that the Lakers rejoiced when they pulled off a blockbuster trade for Westbrook. The thought process was this — the Lakers needed a third star to compete for a title and Westbrook would carry the team when James and Davis were out for games.

Except neither of that was true. The Lakers won a championship with two stars and a cast of role players capable of playing stout defense and hitting an occasional three-pointer. Secondly, not only was Westbrook a bad pairing with James, he couldn’t lead Los Angeles to victories when either of their top two stars were out.

Lastly, Westbrook’s contract — he was the highest-paid player on the Lakers during the 2021-22 season at $44.2 million — posed a major problem as Los Angeles was forced to round out its roster with veteran’s minimum players on their last legs such as Carmelo Anthony, Wayne Ellington and Dwight Howard.

And what did it result in?

Probably the most frustrating year-and-a-half of Lakers basketball as Los Angeles missed the playoffs in 2022 and were on the verge of doing so again in 2023 before flipping Westbrook at the trade deadline.

Do the Lakers really want to do that again?

While acquiring Irving via a sign-and-trade — the most likely path to acquiring Irving since Los Angeles likely doesn’t have the salary cap space to simply sign him in free agency — is possible, it would require the Lakers to basically itself their current core while surrounding James, Davis, Irving with Reaves and a bunch of veteran’s minimum players.

Doesn’t this scenario sound awfully familiar?

As great of a player as James is, he’s never been a great general manager. He’s always had an affinity for playing with good friends of his, even if they’re ill-fits for his talents and his current teams. Remember, James played a role in Westbrook being acquired as he personally recruited him.

The Lakers may need help when it comes to getting over the hump and winning another championship. But while James did send a message to the organization with his tease of a possible retirement, it doesn’t mean Los Angeles should sacrifice the farm just because LeBron is desperate for a fifth ring as his career comes closer to an end.

The Lakers will have options this season. But one option they need to avoid is the temptation of adding Irving.

There will be better — and more cost-effective — solutions towards ensuring Los Angeles is closer to a championship next season.