Lakers Unlikely To Pursue Kyrie Irving In Free Agency

The Los Angeles Lakers are unlikely to pursue Kyrie Irving in free agency, sources tell Jovan Buha of The Athletic. The Lakers prefer to keep their trade deadline additions rather than gutting their roster to create the necessary cap space to sign Irving.

To create enough cap space to sign Irving, the Lakers would have to renounce D’Angelo Russell and Rui Hachimura while also declining their team option on Malik Beasley, and also waiving Jarred Vanderbilt and Mo Bamba.

The Dallas Mavericks traded for Irving shortly before the deadline and are interested in re-signing him in free agency. The Phoenix Suns also pursued a trade for Irving and have also been linked with him for the upcoming offseason depending on how their season plays out.