Lakers Reportedly Won’t Pursue All-Star Guard Kyrie Irving in the Offseason

Kyrie Irving at the
Kyrie Irving at the "Uncle Drew" premiere in 2018. Photo by Lev Radin/Pacific Press/Shutterstock (10745069bn)

After the Los Angeles Lakers missed out on trading for Kyrie Irving in February, many believed that the franchise is planning to revisit interest in an All-Star guard in the offseason. Irving is set to become a free agent in the summer and reportedly would like to play again with his former Cleveland Cavaliers teammate LeBron James in LA. But according to ESPN’s NBA Insider Brian Windhorst, the Lakers have other plans.

Speaking on his The Hoop Collective podcast earlier this week, Windhorst said that the sources close to the Lakers had told him the team won’t pursue Irving when he hits the free agency.

 “To my knowledge, and [from] what I’ve been told, the Kyrie ship I think has sailed,” Windhorst explained.

Windhorst added that the Lakers’ mindset at the moment is to keep the team as it is and try to retain their own free agents. They have nine players on their roster being set for free agency, including unrestricted free agents in D’Angelo Russell, Lonnie Walker IV, and Dennis Schröder.

The Lakers reportedly offered a package centered on former MVP Russell Westbrook and a first-round pick to the Brooklyn Nets for Kyrie Irving ahead of the NBA trade deadline. The Nets didn’t find this offer too attractive and instead went with the Dallas Mavericks’ package that consisted of Dorian Finney-Smith, Spencer Dinwiddie, an unprotected 2029 first-round pick, and two second-rounders.

Since arriving in Dallas, Irving is averaging career-high 28.4 points per game while adding 5.2 rebounds and 6.6 assists.

Ben loves sports so much but prefers watching other people do it. He prefers not to share what teams he's supporting but he is willing to admit that Lebron James is, in fact, the king.