LeBron James and Kyrie Irving reportedly did not speak for years following their infamous breakup in 2017. According to Brian Windhorst who spoke on ESPN’s Get Up, the relationship between the two stars soured significantly after Irving requested a trade from the Cleveland Cavaliers, which led to his departure from the team and the end of a highly successful partnership with James.
“When Kyrie left Cleveland they pretty much didn’t talk for years they were at odds at some point in the last few years. They’ve made up to the point where LeBron actively wanted the Lakers to trade for Kyrie Irving when he was on the trade block a couple of different times, like 22, 23.”
“The Lakers made an offer at the trade deadline last year. Dallas’s offer was just better. They had better players to trade and potentially more valuable picks. The Lakers were trying to protect them. Then last summer, Kyrie actively wanted LeBron to come to Dallas. LeBron wanted Kyrie to come to the Lakers.”
“Now, LeBron going to Dallas, he’s under contract, that’s not feasible. It was relayed to me that Kyrie wanted LeBron in Dallas, I went and checked on it and basically the LeBron side said, we’d love to play with Kyrie in LA.”
“The Lakers actually could have created the cap space to beat the Mavericks offer last year, but they elected not to. They elected to re-sign the players from the team that had just gotten to the Western Conference Finals.”
“So there’s a couple of near misses. I do not suspect that we are going to see an opportunity for them to play again. But I would never say never in the NBA.” (0:39)
During a recent episode of the Mind the Game podcast, LeBron James praised Irving as “the most gifted player the NBA has ever seen” and expressed his frustration that they are no longer teammates. This admiration contrasts sharply with their past, as Windhorst revealed that the two did not communicate for several years after Irving’s exit.
The reconciliation between James and Irving became evident when James advocated for the Los Angeles Lakers to acquire Irving on multiple occasions. Most notably, during the 2023 trade deadline, the Lakers made an offer for Irving, but the Dallas Mavericks’ offer was more attractive, leading to Irving’s move to Dallas.
Despite a challenging start with the Mavericks, Irving found his rhythm and played a crucial role in leading the team to the 2024 NBA Finals.
The Lakers had another opportunity to sign Irving during the offseason when he was a free agent. However, they chose not to pursue him aggressively, deciding instead to re-sign their existing players who had helped them reach the Western Conference Finals. This decision ultimately led Irving to re-sign with the Mavericks.
While it appears unlikely that James and Irving will play together again, Windhorst suggested that in the unpredictable world of the NBA, one should never say never. Despite their past differences, the mutual respect and acknowledgment of each other’s talents have paved the way for a potential future reunion, however improbable it may seem at the moment.
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