Windhorst: LeBron James, Kyrie Irving 'Didn't Talk for Years' After Guard's Cavs Exit

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James had high praise for Dallas Mavericks star Kyrie Irving recently, but a reporter noted that it took some time for the two of them to return to a point of positivity in their relationship.

During this week's episode of the Mind the Game podcast, James called Irving "the most gifted player the NBA has ever seen" and said he was "so f--king mad" that the two of them aren't teammates anymore.

ESPN's Brian Windhorst said on Wednesday's episode of Get Up that James' relationship with Irving had frayed after the point guard requested to be traded from the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2017 offseason, but they've repaired their friendship in recent years.

"When Kyrie left Cleveland, they pretty much didn't talk for years. They were at odds," Windhorst explained. "At some point in the last few years, they've made up to the point where LeBron actively wanted the Lakers to trade for Kyrie Irving a couple of times when he was on the trade block ... The Lakers made an offer at the trade deadline last year, Dallas' offer was just better."

The Mavs acquired Irving from the Brooklyn Nets ahead of the 2023 trade deadline. After a tough start to his tenure in Dallas, he found a groove this year and helped lead the team to the 2024 NBA Finals, where it will face the Boston Celtics.

Windhorst noted that the Lakers had another opportunity to add Irving last offseason when he was a free agent, but their lack of interest influenced his decision to re-sign with the Mavs.

"The Lakers actually could've created the cap space to beat the Mavericks' offer last year, but they elected not to," Windhorst said. "They elected to re-sign the players from the team that had just gotten to the Western Conference Finals."

Windhorst added that it's unlikely that Irving and James will have the chance to wear the same uniform again, but anything is possible.

"I do not suspect that we're gonna see an opportunity for them to play again, but I would never say never in the NBA," Windhorst said.