The Bleacher Report reported on Monday that controversial Mavs star Kyrie Irving has been working to recruit another major asset to the team via trade: LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers.
Take a second to imagine what a stellar trifecta that James, Irving and Luka Dončić would make. It’s a grouping that Tim Cato with The Athletic said would further cement the team as “a ridiculous offensive force.”
James has expressed an interest in playing alongside Irving once more. The two dominated the court during their time with the Cleveland Cavaliers, together ushering in an NBA championship in 2016.
Bally Sports NBA analyst Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson tweeted late Tuesday night that James appears open to the idea of coming to Dallas.
“Was told that Kyrie asked LeBron to come to Dallas and play for the Mavs,” Robinson wrote. “LeBron’s reply on the phone was: ‘I’ll think about it.’”
Some on social media celebrated the potential James-Irving reunion, but others weren’t so certain. Many users pointed out that “I’ll think about it” rings more like a polite rejection than a serious consideration.
“That’s what I tell my friends when I know I’m not coming to meet up,” one user commented.
Yet another person wrote: “Luka, Kyrie, and LeBron would be one of the best super teams of all time.”
Luka, Kyrie, and LeBron would be one of the best super teams of all time
— Bananaz (@AyeBananaz) June 7, 2023
Some insiders aren’t sure that Irving is even serious about coaxing James to North Texas in the first place. CBS Sports’ Bill Reiter notes that the Mavs don’t have enough ammo to make the move feasible.
Instead, it’s likely a leverage play by Irving, an unrestricted free agent who “still wants to be a Laker,” he said.
"This isn't about luring LeBron to Dallas. That can’t happen, and LeBron almost certainly doesn’t want it to happen,” Reiter continued. “It is about Kyrie Irving already trying to send the Lakers a message that he needs to be paid if he's going to go to LA."
Another possibility is that James might just retire. He floated that idea after the Denver Nuggets swept his team out of the Western Conference Finals, although sources close to him are purportedly dubious it’ll really happen."This isn't about luring LeBron to Dallas... it is about Kyrie Irving already trying to send the Lakers a message, that he needs to be paid if he's going to go to L.A."
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) June 5, 2023
- @sportsreiter pic.twitter.com/fQVwYdyBFg
Regardless, James has previously gone to bat (oops, wrong sport) for Irving before.
The Laker star defended conspiracy-prone Irving after he was suspended in November by his then-team, the Brooklyn Nets, for posting a link to an antisemitic movie on social media. The team also reportedly asked Irving to undergo a “series of objective remedial measures that address the harmful impact of his conduct.”
James, who came under fire himself in 2018 for posting antisemitic rap lyrics, spoke out against what he saw as Irving’s excessive punishment.
“I told you guys that I don’t believe in sharing hurtful information,” he tweeted in November. “And I’ll continue to be that way but Kyrie apologized and he should be able to play.”
