Landing Kyrie Irving is top priority for these NBA teams - the Brooklyn Nets, the New York Knicks and the Los Angeles Lakers. It is the latter, however, that appears to have gained an edge, and the team has Kobe Bryant to thank for. Reports said the former Lakers superstar is conducting a personal campaign to woo the Celtics star to LA's side.
Deploying Bryant to win over Irving is understandable on LA's part because at the moment, the former Cavalier is "hot commodity" on the free agency market, according to Bleacher Report. Bryant is said to be doubling up on his recruitment mission and is in constant touch with the target, the report added.
However, convincing Irving to switch sides will not be easy notwithstanding the supposedly persuasive words coming from the Black Mamba. In the same report, it was indicated that in the event of Irving jumping ship his favored team would be the Brooklyn Nets.
The Nets as a team seems a natural magnet to a superstar like Irving who is looking to build on long-term goals. It boasts of young talents that in the next few years would be future NBA superstars. Irving leading the Nets and winning as many titles as possible is dream come true for him.
In addition, the Nets management gets excited on the prospect of Irving teaming up with D'Angelo Russell. The club looks forward on the two co-existing and thriving in the process, thus contradicting the suggestion that the players' personalities could clash.
The Nets, therefore, is where apparently Irving is headed to, the possibility bolstered by his recent acquisition of a property in South Orange, New Jersey.
That happening though is yet to be written in stone, thus giving an opening that the New York Knicks can use to their advantage. There is a big chance the Knicks will be able to sign up Kevin Durant for next season, Fox Sports reported.
If KD is lured away from the Golden State Warriors, the Knicks headlined by him is something serious to consider for Irving. It will be a formidable team and being part of it will surely reflect well on Irving's already impressive résumé. Not to mention that winning championship ring has a higher chance of becoming true when one plays alongside a Kevin Durant.
Going back to the Lakers, Irving joining the team could encounter a big obstacle in the person of LeBron James. It is public knowledge that the two parted ways in not so friendly terms. It might have been a thing in the past now and Irving has recently indicated an openness to make camp in Los Angeles but playing in tandem with James seems not on his radar for now.
