Report: Kyrie Irving has shocking trade request for Mavericks
When Kyrie Irving sat courtside for the Los Angeles Lakers' season-ending loss to the Denver Nuggets in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals, many speculated he was scouting for a potential home for the 2023-24 season.
A new report suggests he was actually scouting for the Dallas Mavericks.
Bleacher Report's Chris Haynes' surprising report throws an interesting wrinkle into this offseason, when Irving will be a free agent.
LeBron James first made waves after admitting he was unsure about his playing future immediately after the Lakers were swept in the conference finals.
James was L.A.'s best player this season and is still in the conversation for the best player in the NBA. His retirement contemplation has nothing to do with being unable to play at an elite level.
Could it instead have been tied to dissatisfaction with the Lakers?
L.A. would be wise to decline any trade involving James that doesn't include receiving Luka Doncic in return, but there's a close to 0 percent chance the Mavericks are interested in trading Doncic.
That means, as Haynes suggests, the easiest path to James playing in Dallas would be for the Lakers to buy him out of the final year of his contract. That, too, sounds implausible.
The likeliest way for Irving to play with James next season is for him to sign with the Lakers. By suggesting the Mavericks make a move for James, it gives Irving an out should Dallas be unable to pull off the impossible.
"Dallas didn't get me what I wanted," Irving could argue as he is introduced in Los Angeles.
Plus, in L.A. he would give James a more consistent scoring threat after Anthony Davis disappeared multiple times during the postseason. That would also allow Davis to focus primarily on his defense, which is much more of a constant when it comes to his game.
Doncic, while one of basketball's great offensive talents, leaves plenty to be desired on the defensive side. James could help cover some of those shortcomings, but relying on a 38-year-old as a defensive anchor could spell trouble for the Mavericks.
The offensive potential of a Doncic-Irving-James trio, though, would be too tantalizing for Dallas to pass up should it be given that opportunity. Don't expect it to happen, though.
Irving seemingly has a better chance at being correct about the shape of the Earth than he does playing with James in Dallas.
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