Right now, perhaps the biggest story in the NBA is the saga surrounding Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving.
He and his team at reportedly at an impasse regarding a potential contract extension, and he has until Wednesday to decide whether to opt-out of the final year of his current deal.
Rumor has it that if Irving leaves Brooklyn, he may join the Los Angeles Lakers, either via trade or even by opting out and signing for the taxpayer mid-level exception at a shade over $6 million.
It is the type of move that could very well instantly make L.A. a championship contender right away.
But Draymond Green of the defending world champion Golden State Warriors said the Lakers won’t actually go all the way if they were to somehow nab Irving.
“With LeBron James, if you give them someone like Kyrie… they’ll have a chance because of the way Kyrie can score the basketball. LeBron will only put him in a position to do that. Kyrie has not proven to be a great leader. LeBron will put an umbrella over that. If you can do what you’re good at, you have LeBron leading…
“They could contend, but they won’t beat us.”
The reality is, even if the Lakers replace Russell Westbrook with Irving and surround him, LeBron James and Anthony Davis with many young, two-way role players, the Warriors will likely still be favored to win the 2023 title.
At the very least, they would have the best odds at representing the Western Conference in next year’s NBA Finals.
But such a Lakers team would have a real shot at knocking off Green, Stephen Curry and company, given good health, good vibes and good karma.
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