Kyrie Irving Rumors: LeBron James Has 'Known Preference' for Star PG to Join Lakers

As Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James is set to contemplate his future this offseason, he reportedly has an idea of how to improve the team's roster.

According to Jovan Buha of The Athletic, "there is a known preference" that James wants the Lakers to add free-agent point guard Kyrie Irving as a third star alongside himself and Anthony Davis.

After the Lakers got swept out of the Western Conference Finals by the Denver Nuggets on Monday night, James told reporters that he's "got a lot to think about" in regards to "going forward with the game of basketball." B/R's Chris Haynes reported on Tuesday morning that "retirement is under consideration" for the 38-year-old.

Adding Irving to the roster could be enough to entice James to stick it out for at least one more year.

Buha noted that James "pushed for the Lakers to acquire Irving over the 2022 offseason and at the Feb. 9 trade deadline." It has long been rumored that both James and Irving are interested in a reunion, as they had a fruitful partnership when they led the Cleveland Cavaliers to an NBA championship in 2016.

The Lakers would have to make significant roster decisions in order to acquire Irving. Los Angeles can create "upwards of $30-35 million in cap space by rescinding the free-agency rights of multiple players and declining multiple players' team options," per Buha.

A sign-and-trade with the Dallas Mavericks is also an option, but Buha stated that move "would hard-cap them at $169.5 million." The Mavs own Irving's Bird rights after acquiring him from the Brooklyn Nets midway through this season, and it could be hard to convince them to cooperate in a deal with the Lakers.

Still, Irving heading to Los Angeles seems like a real possibility at this point. If James pushes the Lakers to make a move, the franchise likely will do whatever it takes to keep him happy.