LeBron James reacts to Lakers failing to trade for Kyrie Irving
The Lakers missed out on acquiring star point guard Kyrie Irving after he was traded to the Dallas Mavericks.
LeBron James expressed disappointment with the situation but has quickly shifted gears toward pushing the Lakers toward the playoffs.
“I can’t sit here and say I’m not disappointed on not being able to land such a talent, but [also] someone that I had great chemistry with, and know I got great chemistry with on the floor, that can help you win championships, in my mind, in my eyes,” James told ESPN’s Michael Wilbon as part of a wide-ranging interview Monday via ESPN. “But my focus is shifted now. My focus is shifted back to where it should be and that’s this club now and what we have in the locker room.”
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The Lakers reportedly made an offer to trade for Irving that included Russell Westbrook, and their 2027 and 2029 first-round draft picks. However, that wasn’t enough as the Nets chose the offer that the Mavericks had that featured Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith, an unprotected first-round pick in 2029, and two second-round selections.
Although Los Angeles missed out, the team may still may make roster moves elsewhere. The Lakers have been linked to Chicago Bulls star guard DeMar DeRozan and Detroit Pistons forward Bojan Bogdanovic.
The opportunity remains there to make a trade before the Feb. 9 deadline, but if not James is ready to move forward with the current roster.
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“It’s a quick pivot,” James said. “It don’t take me long. I don’t get too excited about the possibilities of things that can be. I kind of envision myself on what it can, but I don’t invest it all the way into it until I know it’s happening. And when it does not happen, I’m back locked in on the job at hand.”
The Lakers face an uphill battle to reach the playoffs. They sit in 13th in the Western Conference with a 24-29 record.
