The latest wrinkle in the Kyrie Irving–LeBron James reunion saga unfolded on Monday, with the The AthleticShams Charania reports that Irving reached out to James to recruit him to join Irving in Dallas.
Much of the talk surrounding James and Irving, who is an unrestricted free agent this offseason, rejoining forces has centered on the two superstars playing in Los Angeles. The Lakers could create upwards of $30 million to $35 million in cap space this summer to sign Irving, or could acquire Irving’s salary in a sign-and-trade with Dallas.
James made it known last summer, and before the Feb. 9 trade deadline, that he wanted Irving in Los Angeles alongside him and Anthony Davis. The Lakers were one of the teams believed to be potential suitors for Irving when he and the Nets disagreed in talks last summer before Irving picked up his player option for 2022-23. The Lakers also emerged as a potential suitor for Irving when he requested a trade before the February deadline.
It was the first time the possibility of the former teammates, who played together in Cleveland from 2014 to 2017 and won a championship in 2016, working together to play in Dallas appeared viable from both sides. Irving’s recruitment of James seems to indicate that he is leaning toward re-signing with the Mavericks, who could offer him the most money this offseason.
Meanwhile, the Lakers maintained on Monday that they are not interested in adding Irving this summer, according to multiple team sources who were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.
From the moment James hinted at retirement following the Lakers’ sweep of the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference finals, there was a sense among associates and around the organization that his comments were partly a ploy to pressure the franchise into making meaningful changes. -roster upgrade this offseason. James’ preferred upgrade, many believe, is Irving. But a team source indicated that James is not using Irving’s interest in playing with him as leverage to try to get the Lakers to trade Irving this offseason.
The main takeaway from the Lakers’ perspective is that Irving isn’t interested in taking a discount to sign in free agency. Los Angeles would have to trade him — at his projected max starting salary of around $47 million, depending on final salary-cap numbers — to get him.
As for the possibility of James being in Dallas for next season, a Lakers source said it’s “unrealistic.” This is logistically improbable, although technically possible.
Assuming James plays next season, that is The Athletic reportedly remains the team’s stance, the easiest way to bring James to Dallas — at least for James, Irving and the Mavericks — is via trade. But a glance at the Mavericks’ roster and draft picks reveals limited assets that won’t entice the Lakers into a potential rebuild.
If James requests a trade, and the Lakers make offers, it will take more than a package of, say, Tim Hardaway Jr., Dāvis Bertāns, Josh Green, Jaden Hardy, the No. 10 picks in the 2023 draft and another the future first to get a deal. The Lakers aren’t interested in what Dallas has to offer in a trade, according to multiple team sources.
If Dallas offers Luka Dončić for James, then, yes, one would assume the Lakers would listen. But apart from that, the Lakers will not trade James to the Mavericks. James could try to force their hand, but that would likely lead to a messy power struggle.
The other way to bring James to Dallas is through a buyout, but several obstacles make that unrealistic as well.
James agreed to a two-year, $97.1 million extension with the Lakers through 2022 that doesn’t begin until this summer. Any player bought out can technically be picked up on waivers, but that team has to fit the player’s full salary (in this case, James’ $46.9 million) on its cap sheet, not the amount he agrees to. a buyout. It would also require James to take a steep discount — the Lakers would have little or no incentive to have dead money on their cap sheet — and then sign with Dallas for less than he would. James has a player option of $50.7 million for the 2024-25 season, which he will forfeit. In this situation, Irving also has to take a big discount.
James earned nearly $400 million in basketball salary through his NBA career. He earned hundreds of millions through endorsements, partnerships, his production company and various business endeavors. But asking him to give tens of millions of dollars seems impractical.
For what it’s worth, James has a good relationship with Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd and assistant coach Jared Dudley, who won a championship with James and the Lakers in 2020. James and Dončić also have a good relationship. Dončić said earlier in his career that James was his favorite player growing up, and the two have clear similarities in their playing styles – though those same similarities can also make it difficult for them to play together. together James has been effusive in his praise of Dončić over the years.
DEEP
LeBron and Luka: Two sides of a transcendent basketball coin
After Dončić and Irving went 5-11 together this season and finished as the No. 11 seed in the West, it’s understandable why the Mavericks would be interested in trading for James and building the league’s newest attempt at a big three. They’re desperate to make sure Dončić stays in Dallas long-term (he can become a free agent in 2026). But acquiring James before he becomes a free agent in 2024 just doesn’t make sense.
Despite Irving’s recruiting efforts, the clearest path to James and Irving playing together remains in Los Angeles, either through Irving taking a discount to sign with the Lakers in free agency or through Dallas sending him there in a sign-and-trade.
James in Dallas is can … but mostly unlikely.
(Photo: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
