LeBron James Says 'Duh' Kyrie Irving Trade Would Help Lakers' NBA Title Aspirations

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James and Brooklyn Nets point guard Kyrie Irving appear to be hoping for a Southern California reunion ahead of Thursday's trade deadline.

When asked Friday whether Irving could help the Lakers win another NBA title, James gave a very simple answer:

James' comments come after ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Saturday that the four-time NBA champion is "an immense proponent of making a deal for his former [Cleveland] Cavaliers teammate and the Lakers are operating as a motivated suitor for Irving,"

Irving, who reportedly requested a trade from the Nets on Friday after failing to come to terms on a new deal, did not submit a list of desired destinations to the franchise, per Wojnarowski.

However, Irving has been linked to the Lakers since before the 2022-23 campaign, as The Athletic's Jovan Buha reported in August that his preferred destination would be L.A. if he were to be moved.

If the Purple and Gold manage to land Irving, the Lakers will be a team no Western Conference franchise will want to face in the first round.

Irving and James led the Cavaliers to an NBA title in 2016. They'd be more than capable of winning another title together in 2023, especially considering they'd form a new Big 3 alongside Anthony Davis.