Lakers Should Make Push for Kyrie Irving Contract Despite NBA Free Agency Rumors

The Los Angeles Lakers salvaged their 2022-23 NBA season by overhauling their supporting cast at the trade deadline.

They not only found their way out of the play-in tournament, they dispatched the second-seeded Memphis Grizzlies and have since secured a 1-1 split on the home floor of the defending champion Golden State Warriors.

The Lakers should feel good about themselves and what they could still accomplish moving forward. They should not, however, use this run as a reason to avoid going after marquee players this summer.

According to The Athletic's Tim Cato, the Lakers are "uninterested" in pursuing Kyrie Irving in free agency. Closing that door before free agency even opens would be a massive mistake. Let's break down three reasons why.

LeBron James and the Lakers Know They Need Kyrie

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LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 28: Kyrie Irving #2 of the Dallas Mavericks greets LeBron James #6 of the Los Angeles Lakers as he attends a basketball game between Los Angeles Lakers and Memphis Grizzlies Round 1 Game 6 of the 2023 NBA Playoffs against Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena on April 28, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

When Irving hit the trade market ahead of the deadline, LeBron James was asked whether an Irving deal could position the club to contend.

"Obviously, that's a—what's the word you use—'duh' question when you talk about a player like that," James told reporters.

The Lakers quietly agreed with that assessment. They were willing to move both of their future first-round picks they could trade (2027 and 2029) to get him, per Bleacher Report's Chris Haynes.

Knowing how much James values Irving and how hard L.A. tried to get him at the deadline, it's puzzling (to say the least) that the franchise would already be out on the idea of an offseason pursuit.

Kyrie Irving Would Up L.A.'s Star Count—and Extend Its Window

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LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 17: Kyrie Irving #2 of the Dallas Mavericks goes up for layup against Anthony Davis #3 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the first half at Crypto.com Arena on March 17, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement.(Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

Because the Lakers pivoted away from an Irving deal and into swaps that brought back more players, their championship plan involves following two stars (James and Anthony Davis) and surrounding them with depth.

It looks fine when everyone has it rolling, but it doesn't give James or Davis much wiggle room. Not to mention, this setup might already be uncomfortably close to its expiration date, since James is 38 years old and sometimes (relatively) showing his age.

Adding Irving to the mix would change everything. It would not only give the Lakers the NBA's next (and best?) Big Three, it would give them some insurance if a star misses time to injury and potentially widen their window. The more L.A. could lean on Irving, the less it would have to rely on James, who could be more selective and better rested for major moments.

As things stand, the Lakers are toast whenever James shows not insignificant decline. All due respect to D'Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura, but they aren't filling the void James would leave if he took a step back or two.

Irving absolutely could, though. No one would characterize his 2022-23 campaign as the best of his career—his 22.4 player efficiency rating was only his sixth-highest, per Basketball Reference—and he still notched 27.1 points per night on 49.4/37.9/90.5 shooting with 5.5 assists against 2.1 turnovers. His talent level is towering.

Irving's Limited Market Might Open the Door for the Lakers

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DALLAS, TX - APRIL 5: Kyrie Irving #2 of the Dallas Mavericks looks on as the Mavericks play the Sacramento Kings in the first half at American Airlines Center on April 5, 2023 in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)

If the Lakers have to clear out max (or near-max) money to add Irving, they might have to gut their roster around James and Davis. That would be less than ideal.

But what if Irving's price tag isn't quite as high as that? After all, if the Lakers truly aren't interested in him, he may not have a market outside of the Dallas Mavericks.

Few teams have significant cap space this summer. Even fewer have both money to spend and win-now intentions. What would the Houston Rockets or San Antonio Spurs get out of bringing Irving to town in the middle of their rebuilds? Absolutely nothing.

So, it's possible this could just be a two-team race between the Mavericks and Lakers, so why would L.A. bow out of it months before it even starts? Is Dallas definitely going to pay him top dollar? Does Irving definitely want to run it back with a team that fell apart as soon as he arrived? It's hard to say either with any certainty, which is why it should also be impossible to say for certain the Lakers shouldn't give Irving serious consideration this summer.