Insider: Lakers Pursuit Of Kyrie Irving "Ain't Over"

As Kyrie Irving gets set to team up with Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks this week, the Los Angeles Lakers' pursuit of the controversial point guard might not be over. According to ESPN Insider Brian Windhorst, the Lakers can still go after him as a free agent this summer. But ONLY if they're careful about what they do at this trade deadline.

.@WindhorstESPN says "the Kyrie story with the Lakers ain't over." 👀 pic.twitter.com/8V7RKxZtkw
— First Take (@FirstTake) February 7, 2023

"The Lakers can absolutely...make a deal for Russell Westbrook between now and Thursday. But that deal could only make them incrementally better... or cost them the cap space this summer," said Windhorst. "What (GM) Rob Pelinka has gotta decide is if moving the ball on this team a few yards ahead (now)... is worth blowing up the opportunity in the summer. Because by the way, the Kyrie story with the Lakers ain't over!

"They can sign him this summer. They don't have max cap space now but they've got a lot of it if they can just keep Russ now and say goodbye in July."

Westbrook's $47M would come off the books after this season.

That's the big question as we enter the final two days before the trade deadline: do the Lakers take on salary in a trade for Westbrook that, as Windhorst puts it, "ruins their cap space"?

One rumor making the rounds today has them potentially doing just that, in a deal being discussed with the Utah Jazz.

And according to Lakers beat writer Jovan Buha of The Athletic, talks are also heating up with the Charlotte Hornets, San Antonio Spurs and Chicago Bulls.