Lakers Skeptical of Signing Kyrie Irving to Big Contract, per Report

The potential top landing spot for Kyrie Irving following the point guard’s trade request is the Lakers, as Los Angeles has expressed interest in Irving dating back to the Summer. However, the team’s interest may be just for this season.

ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reports the Lakers are hesitant to give Irving a long-term contract along with a possible trade.

“The Lakers position from what I understand is they’ve been interested in trading for Kyrie Irving, but they’re not so sure about trading for him and being obligated to give him a 200 million dollar contract at season’s end,” Windhorst said on ESPN.

Irving’s trade request comes on the heels of broken down negotiations between his side and the Nets over a contract extension. Irving is set to hit free agency once his contract expires in the offseason, and he is eligible for a max extension that could approach $200 million.

However, the presence of LeBron James remains the biggest factor for potentially acquiring Irving. According to Windhorst, James supports making the move to try and take advantage of this season.

“We know that there is a lot of interest from LeBron James to maximize this season, getting Kyrie Irving would maximize this season,” Windhorst said.

Besides the Lakers, Windhorst mentions the Clippers, Heat and Mavericks as potential landing spots for Irving.