Los Angeles Lakers

Of course, we couldn’t write this piece without including the Los Angeles Lakers. In some ways, his eventual arrival on the squad feels like a foregone conclusion.

Perhaps that’s because he’d be reuniting with James. It’s been a rocky road for Irving since they parted ways. Something about him returning to his former co-star feels oddly preordained.

With that said, it isn’t. The Nets are under no obligation to send Irving to a preferred destination. They likely have little interest in a package centered around Russell Westbrook and a 2027 first-round pick either. The Nets owe their first-round picks to the Houston Rocket for the foreseeable future, so they need reliable contributors in exchange for their stars.

No matter. This isn’t a predictive piece. We’re simply identifying landing spots we’d personally prefer for Irving. There may not be a better one than the Lakers. He solves many of the fit problems that existed between James and Westbrook.

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In fact, we already know Irving can play with James. If they’re reunited ahead of 2022-23, the Los Angeles Lakers may find themselves back in the championship race.