Lakers

Lakers: How Magic Johnson Feels About Prospect Of Kyrie Irving Joining LA

The three-time MVP weighs in.

Brooklyn Nets All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving is threatening to depart the team in free agency this summer if he is not dealt to another club in time for next week’s February 9th trade deadline.

Your Los Angeles Lakers are rumored to be very much in the mix of prospective landing spots for the mercurial 30-year-old’s services.

The most legendary point guard in the Lakers’ storied history, 12-time All-Star, five-time champ and three-time league MVP Magic Johnson, has taken to social media to relay his thoughts surrounding this bonkers revelation.

Johnson has a somewhat checkered history as an appraiser of talent. was most recently the Lakers’ team president of basketball operations from 2017-19. On the plus side, he oversaw the drafting of Lonzo Ball (not the best player to grab with the second selection in 2017, but still a solid pickup) and Kyle Kuzma, and the signing of free agents LeBron James and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. 

Behind-the-scenes drama with now-front office head honcho Rob Pelinka, then his subordinate, and possibly team governor Jeanie Buss led to Johnson’s decision to resign in dramatic fashion prior to the end of the 2018-19 NBA season.

If Irving could be trusted to not be a distraction beyond the court, and to remain relatively healthy, then he would be a slam-dunk trade acquisition for Los Angeles. But he can’t. His decision now to try to compel a team where he and fellow All-Star Kevin Durant basically got carte blanche to dictate a lot of personnel decisions serves as testament to the fact that he cannot be counted upon to stay in line long-term, and make his addition a decided risk.

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