The future of Kyrie Irving in the NBA is in suspense after learning that the player and the Brooklyn Nets board have differences that could lead to the point guard leaving the team and not exercising his contract option for next season.
Irving has until June 29 to agree to stay with the Nets for a year and 36.5 million dollars, however, an ESPN report revealed that his former teammate LeBron James’ Los Angeles Lakers represent the most important threat to the Nets, being the team that could make the player turn down that amount of money.
For the Lakers, who will seek to clean up their tarnished image from last season, it will be crucial to put together a competitive team, supporting James in order to return to the postseason; and what better ally than Irving, who has already won an NBA title with the “King” in the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Lakers are considered the most significant threat to signing Kyrie Irving away from the Nets, per @wojspn.
— Evan Sidery (@esidery) June 22, 2022
Irving only played 29 games in the 2021-22 season, posting averages of 27.4 points, 5.8 assists and 4.4 rebounds. Although his numbers could go down very well among Californians, it is no less true that his behavioral problems can be a major distraction. He already spent last season with the Nets, who had to deal with losing him for many games because of his refusal to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
Now it remains to be asked what Irving’s agreement with the Lakers would be? Would he be willing to lose money to play with James again?
