If Kyrie Irving leaves the Boston Celtics this summer, most expect the star point guard to stay on the East Coast.
Not so fast, says Mitch Richmond.
While most Irving rumors of late have centered around the New York Knicks, Richmond believes the Los Angeles Lakers still are in play to acquire the six-time All-Star, who’s eligible to opt out of his contract and become a free agent in the offseason.
Although Irving reportedly wanted out of Cleveland to emerge from LeBron James’ shadow, Richmond seems to believe the two stars would be able to make it work in a potential second stint as teammates.
“That’s one of the places I’m pretty sure that he’s looking at,” Richmond said Tuesday on “The Rich Eisen Show.” “I mean, there and New York. No question about it, he wants to be the man on a team.
“With LeBron, LeBron let him be him. When you get a little older, you need that guy that can go and get his shot any time he possibly can. I think that’s what LeBron was missing with this team (2018-19 Lakers). It struggled at times when he wanted to rest and he wanted to sit back and he didn’t have that guy that can really go and get him 35 and kind of win the game. If you go back to the time they beat the Warriors (in the 2016 NBA Finals), LeBron had a great series but it was that one game that Kyrie put them over the top.”
The 2018-19 regular season made it abundantly clear that James needs to be paired up with at least one other star if the Lakers are going to have any chance of legitimately competing for a title. Anthony Davis likely will be Los Angeles’ priority this summer, but Irving certainly wouldn’t be the worst consolation prize. And who knows, maybe Irving will be more inclined to reunite with James given the chaos that has been his two seasons with the Celtics.
Irving would be foolish not to consider all of his options in the offseason, and the Lakers would have quite a bit to offer him. And between a max contract, a lavish lifestyle and a real opportunity to win, their potential offer might be one of the better ones Irving receives on the open market.
