The 27-year-old guard, who is expected to opt out of his contract with the Celtics and become a free agent this summer, is “more open” to joining Los Angeles, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported Monday.
Irving and Lakers star LeBron James won a championship together while they were teammates with the Cavaliers from 2014-17. But Irving reportedly wanted a bigger role and asked Cleveland to trade him before he was eventually sent to the Celtics.
Irving, however, said he apologized to James during a phone call in late January.
Windhorst reported:
Magic Johnson shockingly stepped down from his position as the Lakers president of basketball operations before the team’s final game of the season, which could impact Irving’s decision, according to the report.
Windhorst added:
Irving, 27, averaged 23.8 points and 6.9 assists for Boston this season. The Celtics finished 2018-19 with a 49-33 record and advanced to the Eastern Conference semifinals, where they fell to the Bucks in five games.
The Lakers, meanwhile, missed the playoffs for a sixth straight season. But they still have James under contract for at least two more years, will have max cap space this offseason and the fourth pick in the 2019 NBA Draft.
