One NBA insider believes Kyrie Irving and his camp leaked the report about Irving recruiting LeBron James to the Los Angeles Lakers so that the Dallas Mavericks pay Uncle Drew this summer.
Fox Sports commentator Nick Wright told Dan Patrick on the “Dan Patrick Show” that he thinks Irving is being very calculated with his moves.
“I think the genesis of this report is Kyrie,” Wright said. “Not because he thinks LeBron is going to get bought out by the Lakers and sign with the Mavs for the minimum. … I think Kyrie wanted this out there to engender support from the Mavs to give him a max contract.”
Irving becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer. If the NBA operates with a $134 million salary cap, the All-Star point guard would be eligible to re-sign with the Mavericks on a five-year, $272 million contract. Irving averaged 27.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 6.0 assists in 20 games with Dallas this season after being acquired from the Brooklyn Nets.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Kyrie Irving, Dallas Mavericks, LeBron James & Los Angeles Lakers Updates
According to Bill Reiter of CBS Sports, James will not leave the Lakers this offseason and join the Mavericks despite Irving recruiting The King to Dallas. The 38-year-old NBA legend will either retire or be back with the purple and gold.
“LeBron’s not going to Dallas,” one source told Reiter. “That doesn’t even make sense. This is about Kyrie telling (Lakers general manager) Rob (Pelinka) that he’s not taking a discount. And about LeBron trying to create some leverage.”
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Kyrie Irving, Dallas Mavericks, LeBron James & Los Angeles Lakers Updates
Irving is expected to re-sign with the Mavericks this summer, league sources told NBA Analysis Network. Both Luka Doncic and Dallas head coach Jason Kidd have told the Duke product they want him back.
“I hear he’s going back to Dallas on a 3+1 [a player option on the fourth year]. His contract will line up [identically] with Luka’s,” one player agent told Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus.
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