The Los Angeles Lakers are now fully invested in their 2023 postseason run, but some are already looking ahead to what the iconic franchise might do this offseason. More specifically, former player Matt Barnes recently discussed the speculation linking the Lakers to star guard Kyrie Irving.
In the opinion of Barnes, if the Lakers want to add Irving this summer, they will.
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There have been numerous rumors and reports linking Irving to the Lakers since the 2022 offseason. Though there were moments when a deal sending Irving to the Lakers seemed imminent, it never materialized.
The chance for him to join the Lakers in the 2022-23 season ended when he was dealt to the Dallas Mavericks before the trade deadline. The Mavs added him in hopes that a duo of Irving and Luka Doncic would lead to a playoff berth.
The opposite took place, and the Mavs sputtered through the end of the regular season and missed the postseason entirely. They finished as the No. 11 seed in the Western Conference.
Despite that failure, the Mavs reportedly have interest in re-signing Irving.
As for the Lakers, they recently signaled that they no longer have much interest in bringing in the star guard. A report from earlier this season indicated that they would rather focus on trying to run back their current unit. That would mean L.A. trying to re-sign players like D’Angelo Russell, Rui Hachimura and Austin Reaves.
However, if the Lakers felt like they could upgrade at the point guard spot by letting Russell walk and signing Irving, they would likely seriously consider that move. That is true despite the growing bundle of baggage that Irving tends to carry with him whenever he heads to a new team.
Even with his baggage, he is undoubtedly still one of the most skilled players in the league. Moreover, he and LeBron James have a proven track record of success as teammates.
It’s hard to know what the future holds for Irving and the Lakers. If the two sides ultimately do join forces in the offseason, fans can be sure that there will be a lot of buzz surrounding the team by the time the 2023-24 season gets underway.
