Charania: Kyrie Reaches out to Lebron to team up in DAL. Lebron: I'll think about it

[SleepingHero]

https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status...2327389186

WELL!

I took the weekend to work and I return to this rumor. Haven't seen much discussion of it yet but felt like it deserved it's own thread.

How much would y'all theoretically give up in such a trade? Lebron will be 39 and will be able to opt out in a year. I think that massively (read incredibly massively) drives down his assumed price in a trade.

I think THJ+Hardy+Bertans+10 is all it'd take. Heck might be able to pry 17 out of them too. #10 historically is worth at least 2 first rounders.

[KillerLeft]

It would take so much more, imo. Lebron, the player, might be in decline, but Lebron, the icon, is worth maybe billions to the Lakers. I’m not just talking about ticket sales, merchandising, constant media coverage…I’m talking about the valuation of their franchise, and keeping it on the forefront of the sport in terms of glamor and relevance.

They flatly won’t trade him, i don’t think, and honestly I doubt he’ll want to leave. If he does, and if they do, I feel like it’s gonna take a lot.

[omahen]

Had some thoughts in the sticky thread already. Thinking more about it, this sounds to me like LeBron saying - bring me Kyrie or I walk.

On the theoretical subject of how much would it cost to get him. Of course a lot. He is still one of best players in the league and by far the biggest marketing asset. If you go after him, be prepared to pay the bank.

[omahen]

Good thoughts in the article below

https://www.dmagazine.com/sports/2023/06...ron-james/

[sefant]

Had some thoughts in the sticky thread already. Thinking more about it, this sounds to me like LeBron saying - bring me Kyrie or I walk.

On the theoretical subject of how much would it cost to get him. Of course a lot. He is still one of best players in the league and by far the biggest marketing asset. If you go after him, be prepared to pay the bank.

Was my reaction and my take the entire last few months. Lebron isn't happy with the current team. Knows he is declining and wants more "help" aka Kyrie + AD on the Lakers. He is probably constantly talking to Kyrie behind the scenes, trying to convince him to join the Lakers. Thats so typical Lebron.

Pelinka/front office said no, we are keeping Reaves / Rui and Co. Thats why the passive aggressive comments from Lebron to the media after they lost to Denver. And also the rumors: retirement/surgery/out until the new year. Now this rumor about Lebron joining Kyrie. Big middle finger to Pelinka.

If the Lakers want Kyrie, they better pay a decent price for him @ Nico.

[omahen]

I could totally see this as Mavs "masterplan". Doing all that and failing to execute it is also the very Mavs way to do it.

https://twitter.com/Boweman55/status/166...2873546755

[DanSchwartzgan]

I think there are three ways to look at this:

1.  Kyrie is just having some fun

2. This is a leverage play...'get Kyrie here or I might force my way out'.  We've kind of played out the Kyrie to Laker scenarios ad nauseum already.  So, no fund in repeating that.

3. There is some world in which this is real (like a tweet I read said, this was the grand plan all along).  McGee has to stay (he was part of the grand plan.  Hardy (Klutch) has to go (Klutch will insist on Hardy getting shots and that won't happen on the LD/KI/LJ Mav's). 

So, if those are the parameters, how do you help LA build around AD, Rui, Vanderbilt, Reaves and Hardy?  Picks?  Yep.  Expiring contracts like Bertans and/or Reggie?  Yep.  THJ?  Probably not.  You need about $8.44mm in addition to Hardy/Bertans/Reggie (plus picks).

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

LMAO the Lakers arent trading Lebron for that package. Their entire franchise would become irrelevant overnight.

This is just Kyrie being Kyrie.

---

It would take so much more, imo. Lebron, the player, might be in decline, but Lebron, the icon, is worth maybe billions to the Lakers. I’m not just talking about ticket sales, merchandising, constant media coverage…I’m talking about the valuation of their franchise, and keeping it on the forefront of the sport in terms of glamor and relevance.

They flatly won’t trade him, i don’t think, and honestly I doubt he’ll want to leave. If he does, and if they do, I feel like it’s gonna take a lot.

THIS

[SleepingHero]

I think there are three ways to look at this:

1.  Kyrie is just having some fun

2. This is a leverage play...'get Kyrie here or I might force my way out'.  We've kind of played out the Kyrie to Laker scenarios ad nauseum already.  So, no fund in repeating that.

3. There is some world in which this is real (like a tweet I read said, this was the grand plan all along).  McGee has to stay (he was part of the grand plan.  Hardy (Klutch) has to go (Klutch will insist on Hardy getting shots and that won't happen on the LD/KI/LJ Mav's). 

So, if those are the parameters, how do you help LA build around AD, Rui, Vanderbilt, Reaves and Hardy?  Picks?  Yep.  Expiring contracts like Bertans and/or Reggie?  Yep.  THJ?  Probably not.  You need about $8.44mm in addition to Hardy/Bertans/Reggie (plus picks).

3. Seems like the most plausible scenario to me as it has the hallmarks of the general absurdity of Mavs future planning (in that they shoot for the moon on the longest of shots), and satisfies the trend of the roster building the Mavs have been doing for the last 3 years.

The hiring of Kidd was puzzling at the time. He was considered a long shot by many here given the other candidates. The McGee signing and Kyrie trade infuriated many people here. ALL of this is easily explained by the fact the Mavs wanted to make the ultimate play for Lebron in his twilight years to help teach Luka to win.

To answer the puzzle: How do we get to 8.5 mil with guys that make sense? If the Lakers are going to take a vet, it's going to be THJ as his value is probably the highest out of the rest of the remaining guys on the roster that can be parlayed into something bigger.

There is probably a 3 team trade we are all missing. I am naturally gravitating towards IND as always. I remember reading some reports of IND getting ready to trade Duarte as Mathurin is an obvious replacement and Duarte fell out of the rotation. After a strong start to his rookie year, he's largely been just an okay guy. Nothing special.

Maybe there is a deal here with:

Hardy+Duarte+THJ+Bullock+#26 to LAL

Bertans+10 to IND

Buddy+Lebron to Dallas

The logic here is that IND gives the prospect that's fallen out of favor (that the Mavs don't have), take on a bad expiring salary in Bertans, and their reward is #10 and getting off of Buddy's 19 mil expiring. They save nearly 7 mil in salary for next season doing this, which cancels out Bertans' future buyout.

Lakers get a bunch of role players with 2 prospects included along with a first for a guy who is forcing his way out. All of them fit pretty well around a D'Lo/Reaves/Rui/Vando/AD lineup.

Mavs get their big 3. Buddy replaces THJ's shooting AND fits the mold of guys Lebron typically targets when he gets to new teams (I.E. the JR Smith role).

[BigDirk41]

3. Seems like the most plausible scenario to me as it has the hallmarks of the general absurdity of Mavs future planning (in that they shoot for the moon on the longest of shots), and satisfies the trend of the roster building the Mavs have been doing for the last 3 years.

The hiring of Kidd was puzzling at the time. He was considered a long shot by many here given the other candidates. The McGee signing and Kyrie trade infuriated many people here. ALL of this is easily explained by the fact the Mavs wanted to make the ultimate play for Lebron in his twilight years to help teach Luka to win.

To answer the puzzle: How do we get to 8.5 mil with guys that make sense? If the Lakers are going to take a vet, it's going to be THJ as his value is probably the highest out of the rest of the remaining guys on the roster that can be parlayed into something bigger.

There is probably a 3 team trade we are all missing. I am naturally gravitating towards IND as always. I remember reading some reports of IND getting ready to trade Duarte as Mathurin is an obvious replacement and Duarte fell out of the rotation. After a strong start to his rookie year, he's largely been just an okay guy. Nothing special.

Maybe there is a deal here with:

Hardy+Duarte+THJ+Bullock+#26 to LAL

Bertans+10 to IND

Buddy+Lebron to Dallas

The logic here is that IND gives the prospect that's fallen out of favor (that the Mavs don't have), take on a bad expiring salary in Bertans, and their reward is #10 and getting off of Buddy's 19 mil expiring. They save nearly 7 mil in salary for next season doing this, which cancels out Bertans' future buyout.

Lakers get a bunch of role players with 2 prospects included along with a first for a guy who is forcing his way out. All of them fit pretty well around a D'Lo/Reaves/Rui/Vando/AD lineup.

Mavs get their big 3. Buddy replaces THJ's shooting AND fits the mold of guys Lebron typically targets when he gets to new teams (I.E. the JR Smith role).

Sounds crazy and very Mavs. I'm all in...lol

[swaggerbox]

I don't know if this is true but take this with a grain of salt.

[omahen]

I think there are three ways to look at this:

1.  Kyrie is just having some fun

2. This is a leverage play...'get Kyrie here or I might force my way out'.  We've kind of played out the Kyrie to Laker scenarios ad nauseum already.  So, no fund in repeating that.

3. There is some world in which this is real (like a tweet I read said, this was the grand plan all along).  McGee has to stay (he was part of the grand plan.  Hardy (Klutch) has to go (Klutch will insist on Hardy getting shots and that won't happen on the LD/KI/LJ Mav's). 

So, if those are the parameters, how do you help LA build around AD, Rui, Vanderbilt, Reaves and Hardy?  Picks?  Yep.  Expiring contracts like Bertans and/or Reggie?  Yep.  THJ?  Probably not.  You need about $8.44mm in addition to Hardy/Bertans/Reggie (plus picks).

We have to take into account that Shams is not nobody. This is not just a wild rumor. So, why would he publish this? Who is his source?

A simple truth scenario is not realistic for me. Players reach out to one another all the time. My problem with this - there is nothing big in this if it is just what was literally said - Irving reached out. Why would a guy like Shams bring it out? He is not just a simple click-bait artist. There has to be more. Either its LeBron pushing for Kyrie or there actually is something behind it.

[omahen]

Steins view on the thing. To cut it shortly - he doesn't believe there is any chance to happen. Sources say Kyrie really wants to stay. One quote that makes a lot of sense:

Amid a belief in various corners of the league that Dallas would prefer to sign Irving to the most team-friendly deal that the sides can agree upon, Irving's value to the Mavericks theoretically increases if his ability to recruit is factored in.

https://marcstein.substack.com/p/lebron-...icks?sd=pf

[Smitty]

It would take so much more, imo. Lebron, the player, might be in decline, but Lebron, the icon, is worth maybe billions to the Lakers. I’m not just talking about ticket sales, merchandising, constant media coverage…I’m talking about the valuation of their franchise, and keeping it on the forefront of the sport in terms of glamor and relevance.

They flatly won’t trade him, i don’t think, and honestly I doubt he’ll want to leave. If he does, and if they do, I feel like it’s gonna take a lot.

As usual, we agree on this one. I hopped on discord for the first time in a while and the guys were dreaming up scenarios and some were saying that all it would take were pick 10, or they wouldn't throw in Hardy, etc.. 

It would absolutely take Hardy + Green + #10 + MORE and even that might not be enough. It's Lebron, but even worse - Cuban loses bidding wars, where he's the only bidder.

[omahen]

Interesting enough, The Athletic themselves are calling the LeBron to Dallas idea silly. So it looks like the agenda was really something else, not what it was said.

https://theathletic.com/4584637/2023/06/...the-pulse/

[DanSchwartzgan]

Interesting enough, The Athletic themselves are calling the LeBron to Dallas idea silly. So it looks like the agenda was really something else, not what it was said.

https://theathletic.com/4584637/2023/06/...the-pulse/

The NBA Front Office pod thought it was silly also.

[omahen]

It could also be just a message from Kyrie that he wants to stay in Dallas. With between the lines - if you are a player who Dallas could realistically get, push your way to Dallas. As we know, Irving will only officially sign after the draft.

[Razzmatazz_Hopskidillydoo]

It would absolutely take Hardy + Green + #10 + MORE and even that might not be enough. It's Lebron, but even worse - Cuban loses bidding wars, where he's the only bidder.

He is also 38 years old and has a history of injuries.


Lebron is worth more than Green+Hardy+10th+the 2027 pick IF the Mavs would be favored to win it all in a span of 2 years.
But they won't be.
So he isn't.

Worse, one injury filled season for either Lebron or Kyrie (and even Luka), and the Mavs are toast.

[Razzmatazz_Hopskidillydoo]

It could also be just a message from Kyrie that he wants to stay in Dallas. With between the lines - if you are a player who Dallas could realistically get, push your way to Dallas. As we know, Irving will only officially sign after the draft.

Kyrie wants to get paid.
And he knows the best option for him would be Dallas.
But Kyrie also wants to play with Lebron.
This recruitment of his might not lead to anything, but I'm assuming both FO's are triggered by this and are thinking of any possible deals.
If this stunt doesn't work, Kyrie's going to LA.

[Smitty]

He is also 38 years old and has a history of injuries.


Lebron is worth more than Green+Hardy+10th+the 2027 pick IF the Mavs would be favored to win it all in a span of 2 years.
But they won't be.
So he isn't.

Worse, one injury filled season for either Lebron or Kyrie (and even Luka), and the Mavs are toast.

I personally don't think he's worth any two of those 4 pieces you mentioned. But that is no doubt what it would cost the Mavs. Anyone who thinks otherwise is just wrong imo.