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LeBron James admits he’s “definitely disappointed” the Lakers weren’t able to land Kyrie Irving from the Brooklyn Nets … as the star point guard is about to move to the Dallas Mavericks.
LeBron James was hoping for a Lakers reunion with his champion Cleveland Cavaliers teammate Kyrie Irving, but that’s not happening.
Irving demanded a trade with the Brooklyn Nets last week and got his wish Sunday: The Nets sent the point guard to the Dallas Mavericks for Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith and picks.
LeBron sat down with ESPN’s Michael Wilbon after the trade was announced and shared his take on the inability to close a deal.
‘Well, definitely disappointed. I can’t sit here and say I’m not disappointed that I couldn’t get such talent,” James told Wilbon.
‘Someone I had great chemistry with, I know I had great chemistry on the court, that can help you win championships in my mind, in my eyes.
LeBron James spoke to ESPN about his disappointment in seeing Kyrie Irving join Dallas
“But my focus has changed now, my focus has gone back to where it should be and that’s this club now, and what we have in the dressing room.”
After Wilbon commented that LeBron made a quick change in his mentality, James responded that he is focused on the rest of the season.
It won’t take me long. I don’t get too excited about the possibilities of things that can be,” James replied.
“I kind of figure out what it can be, but I don’t invest all the way in until I know what’s going on.” And when it doesn’t, I focus back on the job at hand.
So you know we had a chance. Our names were there, the Lakers’ names were there.
‘We had a chance, it didn’t happen, we went ahead and finished this season strong. Try to get an offer in the postseason where I sit [when] we are healthy, we can compete with anyone.’
LeBron and Kyrie have been apart since 2017 but appear to remain close friends.
The former Cavaliers couple have been estranged since 2017, when Irving reportedly wanted to be the focal point of his own team.
He was traded to Boston, where he spent two seasons leading the Celtics to the playoffs and dealing with a series of injuries.
After saying he planned to return to Boston “if they take me,” Irving turned down the Celtics for the Nets.
Since then, a series of controversies, ranging from vaccine skepticism and an outright refusal to take the jab, to co-signing anti-Semitism via his Instagram story, refusal to play games, and absences for long periods of time. time and during a good part of the season. he defined Irving’s legacy in Brooklyn.
Despite LeBron’s hopes of a reunion, the Nets seemed determined to avoid a deal with the Lakers, with reports saying that Nets owner Joe Tsai was trying to prevent him from rejoining the stars.
Nets owner Joe Tsai made sure a reunion of the 2016 championship stars didn’t happen