The Los Angeles Lakers will be heading into 2022-2023 looking to turn the tables after missing out on the playoffs altogether last season, They've already been linked to Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving, who could potentially want out due to the lack of a long-term contract extension and Matt Barnes believes Kyrie would be the missing piece to the puzzle in their pursuit of a championship.
Barnes spoke to TMZ Sports and revealed a potential reunion between LeBron James and Irving puts them in serious contention for an 18th title.
“I think what they have right now,” Barnes said, “if they can learn to co-exist with the group they have now, they're really close.”
“Kyrie is probably a top 5 talent in the world, but you never know what you're going to get. So, if Kyrie is committed to playing whether he plays in Brooklyn or the Lakers, he definitely makes them a title contender.”
He has a point, but the thing is, Kyrie would need to take a $30 million pay cut to actually join the Lakers due to their cap space. That feels extremely unlikely. On the other hand, he did lose $17 million in 2021-22 because of his unwillingness to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
Of course, Irving and LeBron brought the first-ever Larry O'Brien to the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016, coming back from a 3-1 deficit to beat the Golden State Warriors, forming a lethal partnership.
The Lakers do have the star power right now to make a run at a championship, but it all depends if Russell Westbrook and Anthony Davis can live up to expectations. If you add Kyrie Irving into the mix, that's a very talented core. But, as Barnes said, he has to be strictly focused on basketball.
It will be interesting to see where he ends up. The Clippers, Knicks, 76ers, Heat, and Mavericks are the other teams Irving is keen on signing with this summer.
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