Prior to his jump from the Boston Celtics to the Brooklyn Nets, rumors have been swirling that All-Star guard Kyrie Irving might be headed to Los Angeles and possibly to play for the Lakers. The Knicks are on the radar too but in the end, Irving made his choice and he now calls Brooklyn his new NBA home.
In fact, the former Cavs is on a homecoming mode. Before becoming an NBA star, he grew up in New Jersey where the Nets were formerly based. According to CBS Sports, Irving based his free agency decision mostly on one thing - to get closer to home and be with family.
This year, the opportunity to do so presented itself and Irving grabbed it without hesitation.
"Home is where my heart is. It's always been there. Simply because of such a great love that I have for my family and the way I grew up ... I wouldn't change anything about this journey. It's brought me back here and that's home, and home is where my family is, home is where I want my legacy to continue," Irving was reported as saying.
CBS said the All-Star is at peace with the decision he made. "In my heart, I always knew I wanted to play at home ... And I'm happy to be in Brooklyn," the NBA champ declared.
But as the circumstances of Irving's transfer to the Nets become clearer by the day, there was one question that to date nags Irving and his former Cleveland teammate, LeBron James. Was there ever a chance of the two reuniting and play for the Lakers?
In a report by the Lakers Nation, James and Irving have patched things up following their reported feud while with the Cavaliers. And before Irving had made the call of returning to New Jersey to be with the Nets, the two have been conversing and talking stuff.
Yet according to Irving, his time with James never touched on the possibility of them playing again for a team. During their conversations, "there was no need for James to try and recruit," his former partner with the Cavs.
That's because James knew his pal has set his heart on one thing - returning home. "Irving was always headed to Brooklyn ... {and) it's the unmistakable truth," the report said.
And the Lakers have decided to move on. With Irving and Kevin Durant certainly beefing up the Nets lineup, it's only logical for Los Angeles to look elsewhere for the missing link that would enable the team to go the distance in Season 2019-20 of the NBA.
That link is none other than Kawhi Leonard, who at the moment is the remaining superstar in the free agency market. For now, nothing is definite if Leonard can be persuaded to wear the Purple and Gold next in his bid to get another NBA ring.
