Report: LeBron James, Kyrie Irving Wanted To Reunite Last Offseason

According to NBA insider Brian Windhorst of ESPN, LeBron James and Kyrie Irving wanted to reunite last offseason. 

LeBron wanted Irving to come to the Los Angeles Lakers, but Irving wanted LeBron to come to the Dallas Mavericks. 

Irving, who was an unrestricted free agent, re-signed with the Mavericks. 

.@windhorst reacts to LeBron’s recent comments on Kyrie 👀 pic.twitter.com/9dtPd8d86E

— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) June 5, 2024

LeBron and Irving were teammates on the Cleveland Cavaliers from 2014-15 to 2016-17. During the LeBron-Irving era, the Cavaliers played in three straight NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors. 

Cleveland won the 2016 championship over the Warriors in seven games. The Cavaliers are the only team in NBA history to erase a 3-1 series deficit in the Finals. 

Irving requested a trade from the Cavaliers in 2017, straining his relationship with LeBron. Uncle Drew and King James repaired their relationship a few years ago. 

LeBron averaged 25.5 points, 7.4 rebounds, 7.8 assists, 1.4 steals and 0.6 blocks alongside Irving, while Irving put up 22.1 points, 3.1 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 1.3 steals and 0.3 blocks per game next to LeBron. 

The Cavaliers went 132-51 in the regular season when LeBron and Irving played. 

According to NBA insider Dave McMenamin of ESPN, the Lakers aggressively tried to acquire Irving from the Brooklyn Nets last season after Irving requested a trade. The Lakers’ offer centered on Russell Westbrook and two future first-round picks in 2027 and 2029.

The Nets wound up trading Irving to the Mavericks, who are in the NBA Finals.

LeBron, the leading scorer in NBA history, told ESPN’s Michael Wilbon last February he was upset Irving landed in Dallas and not in Los Angeles. 

“I can’t sit here and say I’m not disappointed on not being able to land such a talent, but [also] someone that I had great chemistry with,” LeBron said. “And know I got great chemistry with on the floor, that can help you win championships, in my mind, in my eyes.”