February 04, according to the “Los Angeles Times” Lakers team reporter Dan Woike, Kyrie Irving wants to leave the basketball team
Nets, if the Nets decide to honor his trade request, as they did last summer, the Lakers are one of his favorite next home teams.
According to sources familiar with the matter, the Lakers are very interested in Irving.
According to multiple sources, in addition to the Lakers, the Mavericks, Suns and Heat are all likely to become trading partners for the Nets.
Irving’s annual salary is $36.5 million. He has been unable to reach an extension agreement with the Nets and will become a free agent after the season.
Rumor has it that before Irving opted to exercise his contract option to stay with the Nets last offseason, his aspirations were to play with the Lakers.
The Lakers have their concerns, too, including overpaying and multiyear contracts for a player who isn’t always reliable.
A deal with the Nets would of course include Russell Westbrook.
According to the NBA’s trading rules, the Lakers need to bring back an additional player in Irving’s deal to make the deal salary match.
The main assets of the Lakers are the 2027 and 2029 first-round picks.
Second-year guard Austin Reeves has plenty of fans in the NBA front office, as does rookie guard Max Christie.