There was a noteworthy spectator at what proved to be the Lakers' final game of the season.
Kyrie Irving was in attendance at Crypto.com Arena on Monday to watch Los Angeles battle the Denver Nuggets in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals. Although Irving simply could have been there to take in some high-level hoops, his presence birthed a common line of thinking among NBA fans and media members alike. The star point guard is a free agent this summer, and it wouldn't be at all shocking if he wanted to take his talents to LA.
But is Irving donning the Purple and Gold a realistic possibility? ESPN's Brian Windhorst addressed the potential open-market outcome Thursday.
"Probably the best two teammates LeBron has ever had in terms of natural fit were Kyrie and Anthony Davis," Windhorst said on "Get Up." "I could see why LeBron would be very interested in that. The concept of Kyrie to be a guy who can create his own, handle the ball to allow LeBron to rest while either on the court or on the bench is ideal. The pick-and-roll partner of Anthony Davis is ideal. If everybody's healthy, that racecar would be awesome. But a lot of things would have to fall into place for it to happen."
Of course, Irving might only be interested in joining the Lakers as a way of reuniting with James. And there's no guarantee the four-time champion will be in LA next season, as he potentially could retire this offseason or even force his way to a new team.
Regardless, Irving himself has no time for the free agency fodder. The 31-year-old recently used Instagram to sound off on everyone speculating about his future.
