After reports surfaced that the Cleveland Cavaliers weren't going to offer Kyrie Irving a max contract this July, the Los Angeles Lakers emerged as a team that was interested in courting him. Now, with reports indicating that the Cavs do in fact intend on offering Irving a max deal, the Lakers could be out on a potential deal for him.
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CBS Sports reports that the Cavaliers are interested in setting up a meeting with Irving once their new head coach is hired. The team intends to offer Irving a five-year extension worth in the $90 million range on July 1 when the NBA's free agency period begins.
While the Cavaliers are prepared to try and extend Irving, it remains to be seen if he wants to stay in Cleveland. There was speculation that the All-Star guard wanted to move to a better contender and that he was unhappy in Cleveland, but reports indicate that the team hasn't been given that impression by him and believes that it could lock him up long-term.
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There were rumors that the Cavaliers weren't going to sign Irving to a maximum deal, leading to speculation that he could be moved.
The Lakers were a potential landing spot for the All-Star as L.A. could have thrown in their No. 7 overall pick in the upcoming NBA draft and added some other incentives in exchange for Irving to give the Cavs another pick to go along with their No. 1 overall pick come June 26.
Irving, 22, was selected by the Cavaliers No. 1 overall in the 2011 NBA Draft, but after a few locker room incidents and reports that he wanted out of Cleveland, Los Angeles became a possible destination for the 6-foot-2 guard.
The Lakers are in the midst of a search for a new head coach after Mike D'Antoni resigned and took a $2 million buyout following a season where an injury-plagued Los Angeles team finishing a franchise-worst 27-55 and missing the playoffs for the first time since 2005.
The Lakers will look to bounce back and Kobe Bryant has expressed his desire for a sixth championship after signing a two-year extension with the team and coming out of an injury-plagued season. Irving would be a perfect fit for Los Angeles, but with the Cavs planning to offer him a max deal, he may be inclined to stay in Cleveland and not turn down that kind of money.
Irving is in the final year of his rookie contract, but come July 1 he may be seeing the money from Cleveland and causing Los Angeles to come up with another solution to its recent woes.
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