The Los Angeles Lakers have resurfaced as yet another possible option for mercurial guard Kyrie Irving ahead of this looming offseason, and while they remain on the outside looking in, the Boston Celtics guard has become more open to joining the purple and gold, according to ESPN's Brian Windhorst.

“If you had asked me six months ago, I’d have said the door was closed and locked — was not going to happen,” Windhorst said on Monday of the possibility of Irving signing with the Lakers. “But over the last few months, there has no doubt been a thawing between Kyrie and LeBron, and Kyrie has become more open to joining the Lakers and has done some research on the organization.”

While many things have changed in the Lakers organization since Irving first showed some interest in the franchise, there is still an outside chance the Lakers can poach him if his primary destinations — the New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets — don't pull the trigger soon enough.

“With Magic leaving — that was a guy he felt a connection to — and with great opportunities in Brooklyn and in New York, plus Boston trying to keep him, I think the Lakers are lower on his list. But they’re on his list, and that gives them a fighting chance. Boston has got to still be worried about the Lakers in the Kyrie pursuit.”

Irving posted 23.8 points and a career-high 6.9 assists for the Celtics this season, but his comeback from a knee surgery was not as memorable as he had hoped, mustering only the fourth seed and losing four straight games to the Milwaukee Bucks on his way out of the second round of the playoffs.