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In light of LeBron James' recent contract extension, rumors surrounding the LA Lakers' negotiations with Kyrie Irving have resurfaced. The Lakers will need to surround James and Anthony Davis to bolster their title hopes, and analyst Jay Williams offered valuable insight on the same.
LeBron James is committed to the side for the next two seasons and the Lakers need to make the most of these years. Speaking on the matter on "Get Up" with Zach Lowe, Jay Williams offered his take on the Irving-Lakers situation.
Lowe asked Williams whether the Lakers could acquire Irving to contend for a title, with the latter responding:
"I don't know if they're willing to offer enough for Irving. That comes down to them offering more than one draft pick for Kyrie Irving when they're already slated - not having a lot of draft picks to offer. So, if I'm Jeanie Buss, I still go all in to get Lebron James another championship."
Following up on Williams' statement, Lowe asked whether a reunion between LeBron James and Irving could result in a championship. Williams responded saying:
"Yes. Well, depends on what you have to give up but ff you're putting Kyrie Irving, Anthony Davis and LeBron James on the same team, yes, you could win a world championship with those three.
"Depending upon who you've added to your bench and depth, by having those three players as core, 1000% you can win a world championship."
The LA Lakers' situation with Kyrie Irving has been a virtual rollercoaster. Although the Lakers have been willing to offer two first-round draft picks for the star, the Brooklyn Nets have been disinterested.
This also comes from the fact that Irving is more or less committed to the idea of playing his contract out in Brooklyn. This does not favor LeBron James and the Lakers in the least.
Can LeBron James and Anthony Davis compete for a title alongside Kyrie Irving?
News of LeBron James' contract extension has sparked rumors regarding certain negotiations in play. With the likelihood of trade news on the horizon, a trade for Irving may not be completely out of the question.
Should the Lakers manage to acquire Irving by some miracle, the core is a winning recipe. James has proven chemistry with both Irving and Anthony Davis.
Considering James' unselfishness as a player, deferring to the likes of Davis and Irving frees him up to focus on playmaking. With Davis anchoring the mid-to-low post on offense, Irving could practically run free in isolation.
Purely in terms of offensive firepower, the Lakers could become a practical powerhouse. With AD anchoring the defense, LA could remain solid.
However, as Jay Williams mentioned, the issue lies in how much the team will have to give up for Irving.
While the link between Kyrie Irving and the LA Lakers has been strong throughout the offseason, the saga could be in its last act.
Although the Nets were initially after picks for Irving, the team is now reportedly focusing on acquiring players with a "win-now" mindset.
This greatly harms the Lakers' chances of acquiring Irving as they do not necessarily have the assets to entice the Nets.
Meanwhile, the Lakers have re-engaged in trade discussions for Buddy Hield and Myles Turner with the Indiana Pacers. Adding depth to their roster could be just as valuable of a move considering their title aspirations.
