Reports: Mavs have no interest in Kyrie Irving trade involving Lakers guard
If the Los Angeles Lakers are hoping to reunite LeBron James with Kyrie Irving this offseason, they'll need to find a way to do so that doesn't include sending D'Angelo Russell to Dallas.
NBA insider Marc Stein reported on Sunday that the Mavericks would have "no interest" in a sign-and-trade scenario with the Lakers centered around Russell being the "primary Dallas-bound player."
Despite lingering rumors linking Irving to the Lakers, most accounts point towards the Mavericks moving forward with Irving as their co-star to Luka Doncic. Earlier this week, NBA insider Brian Windhorst joined ESPN's Get Up, where he spoke about Dallas' "grand plans" to retain Irving this offseason.
Don't expect these plans to waver Los Angeles' perceived interest in Irving until a deal between the eight-time All-Star and the Mavericks is set in stone. Irving remains the ideal fit to play alongside James, especially as the latter approaches a point in his career where he's begun to play more off the ball.
As for the Lakers' current point guard situation, it's becoming apparent that the team would likely choose to upgrade from Russell if given the opportunity this offseason. While the former No. 2 overall pick remains talented, his streaky play and lapses in the postseason are likely too much to swallow for a championship-or-bust squad.
After a productive run to close out the regular season, Russell was horrendous in the team's Western Conference Finals appearance, averaging just 6.3 points per game and subsequently getting benched. The guard's trade value is at a lull, and dangling him as the prize piece in any offer isn't expected to yield much return for Los Angeles.
Russell is eligible to sign a two-year, $67.5M extension by June 30, although sources informed ESPN that the Lakers will not pursue a deal at the max number.
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