The Celtics’ offseason will sway on whether Kyrie Irving returns to Boston, but we’ll have to wait until at least July 1 to learn his final decision. Until then, it’s silly season in the NBA.
Rumors are already swirling around Irving’s summer, with murmurs of a LeBron James reunion surfacing thanks to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst. Former Los Angeles Lakers head of basketball operations Magic Johnson fanned the flames Monday during an appearance on “First Take.”
Johnson, after accusing general manager Rob Pelinka of backstabbing, began to discuss the Lakers’ offseason plans, and what he would do if he still worked for the team. With Irving, Kevin Durant and Kawhi Leonard all potentially becoming free agents, a big-market team like Los Angeles is sure to be busy, and Johnson agrees.
When asked who the Lakers should target, the Hall of Famer didn’t hesitate, quickly naming Irving and Leonard as the top players to target.
Magic Johnson on @FirstTake says that the Lakers too targets in free agency should be Kawhi Leonard and Kyrie Irving.
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) May 20, 2019
Had Johnson remained with the Lakers, he said that would have been his approach ahead of July 1 due to “speculation” that Durant will be heading to New York.
Magic Johnson was going to target Kawhi Leonard and Kyrie Irving for the one max slot the Lakers had this summer. The feeling is Kevin Durant is going to New York or staying in Golden State. LeBron James was (and likely still is) going to be apart of the recruiting meeting.
— Arash Markazi (@ArashMarkazi) May 20, 2019
This isn’t the first Irving-related rumor, and it certainly won’t be the last.
