Lakers considered ‘most significant threat’ for Kyrie Irving if he leaves the Nets, per report

With Kyrie Irving’s future with the Brooklyn Nets looking uncertain, other teams are starting to circle. As it stands, the Los Angeles Lakers are considered the “most significant threat” to land Irving if he leaves Brooklyn, according to Adrian Wojnarowski. However, Irving landing in L.A. would require him to take a substantial pay cut — about $30 million.

Irving has a player option worth $36 million for the 2022-23 season. In order to join the Lakers, Irving would have to turn that down, and then sign a $6 million taxpayer exemption with the Lakers, as that’s the most that the Lakers could offer him with their roster as currently constructed. Irving is extremely mercurial, so it’s tough to predict exactly what he’s going to do, but it seems extremely unlikely that he would be willing to miss out on that much money. Plus, joining the Lakers would require Irving to walk away from Kevin Durant, which he swore he wouldn’t do earlier this year.

Source: https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/lakers-considered-most-significant-threat-for-kyrie-irving-if-he-leaves-the-nets-per-report/