LeBron James’ possible reunion with the Los Angeles Lakers was the matter of intense speculation before the Dallas Mavericks’ signing of Kyrie Irving from the Brooklyn Nets. The 2023 NBA All-Star Game, in which James, one of the two captains, used one of his early selections to select Irving, served as the catalyst for the most recent storylines tying Irving to the Lakers. Irving was referred to be “the wizard and young god” when James announced his pick of him.
“It’s always good to see him,” James said of Irving. “I’m very proud of him. Very proud of the man that he has become in his life right now.”
Irving was excited to be selected for Team LeBron and remarked on how he had witnessed James’ successes while they were teammates in the Cleveland Cavaliers.
“I was happy to get picked to his team. Wish we could have gotten the win,” Irving said. “I’ve been a firsthand witness to a lot of his great accomplishments. I was there when he was passing a lot of guys on Cleveland and then us being competitors, it only made the game a lot better. I think we’ve learned a lot from one another and just wishing (him) nothing but the best.”
Mavericks' Kyrie Irving being picked by LeBron James for the NBA All-Star Game:
"I was happy to get picked to his team. Wish we could have gotten the win. I've been a firsthand witness to a lot of his great accomplishments. I was there when he was passing a lot of guys on… pic.twitter.com/TBcQyIaRSh
— Grant Afseth (@GrantAfseth) February 20, 2023
Despite the fact that Irving hasn’t even been a member of the Mavs for a full month, speculation and reporting about his potential choice will inevitably continue due to his impending position as a free agent. Before he decides what to do, a lot of things are yet to unfold, including whether he thinks the Mavs are the best long-term fit for him.
If the Mavs really want to, they could give Irving a five-year, $272.9 million deal as a designated veteran. The Mavs have a huge financial edge at their disposal if they put pressure on him to stay with them. On the Mavs, Irving will try to compete with Luka Doncic. The team’s two games together have ended in defeats, with each game’s result being determined by late-game play. Many in the league anticipate great things to be accomplished as the two improve their on-court relationship.
In his four games with the Mavs, Irving is averaging 28.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 7.0 assists. In his most recent game, a loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, he scored 26 of his 36 points in the fourth quarter to help Dallas come back from being down 26 points at one point.
