One player who many fans of the Los Angeles Lakers have pointed to as the “one that got away” is Dallas Mavericks point guard Kyrie Irving. Irving has been linked with the Lakers for most of his career, with talks of him joining the historic franchise jumping up a few years ago.
Irving paired well with Lakers superstar LeBron James in Cleveland, leading to speculation that the two could link up once again in Los Angeles. The trade or signing of Irving to the Lakers never happened but that hasn’t stopped fans about wondering what if.
Irving seemed to fuel those thoughts during an appearance on Kai Cenat’s “Mafiathon 2” stream. Cenat seemed to encourage Irving to pretend like he was getting a call saying that he was traded to the Lakers, prompting the star to show off his acting skills.
“Whew, hello. Hello?! Yeah, I can talk,” Irving says to open the faux phone conversation with his “agent. “It’s gonna be Los Angeles? I understand, alright,” Irving continued with the impromptu script. “How much they paying? That number’s not right. It’s L.A., what you talking about?”
“You want me to show up tomorrow and you treat me like this? You know what, I’m gonna make you respect me. I’m gonna come in there and outwork everybody. And this time, no f—ing regrets. See y’all tomorrow.”
It was a strange situation indeed but Cenat’s streams are known for their dramatic flair. Irving seemed to go along with the bit and it captivated audiences all over.
This only kicks the Lakers about not landing Irving and fans may not appreciate him doing this. If anything, Mavericks fans may feel a certain way about him pretending to be dealt to a rival in the Western Conference.
Nonetheless, it was an innocent acting performance from Irving and he will move on. Irving would have paired nicely alongside James and co-star Anthony Davis but it wasn’t meant to be.
The veteran point guard helped the Mavericks reach the NBA Finals a year ago and he is determined to help them get right back there this season. The guard has averaged 24.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, 5.4 assists, and 1.1 steals per game this season.
Los Angeles isn’t likely to trade for Irving but it’s clear that Irving has thought about what his reaction would be if it were to happen.