LA Lakers Rumor: Kyrie Irving could be traded to Lakers by Christmas

Kyrie Irving has created a lot of controversy in the past couple of years. He missed a significant amount of time last season after failing to comply with New York City's COVID-19 vaccine mandates. The Nets suspended him on November 3 for promoting an antisemitic movie on social media. He has missed the last seven games.

Rather than apologize for his social media mishap, Irving doubled down. He argued with reporters during a post-game press conference. The Nets made him unavailable to the media for a handful of days.

When he spoke to the media again, he refused to apologize but accepted full responsibility for reposting the content. This prompted the Nets to suspend him for a minimum of five games. They gave him a set of guidelines that he needed to complete before returning to the team. That includes giving a sincere apology, partaking in antisemitic training and donating $500,000 to anti-hate causes.

A lot of fans called for the franchise to trade or release Kyrie Irving. However, his trade value is likely at an all-time low. But it sounds like one team may still be interested in the embattled star.

According to former NBA player Jason Smith, the LA Lakers are hoping to acquire Irving before Christmas.

“The Nets are going to find a way to send Kyrie to the Lakers. Kyrie will be controversy free, will have a fresh start with the Lakers. The desperation of the Nets and the Lakers will make this happen sooner than later. This will happen by Christmas, and by Christmas Kyrie Irving will be a Los Angeles Laker."

Irving trade rumors have been a topic of discussion on several prominent NBA television shows. Check out this video of Jay Williams breaking down a potential Anthony Davis-Kyrie Irving swap:

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There was a lot of speculation about Kyrie Irving being traded to the LA Lakers for Russell Westbrook. With the Lakers in desperate need of perimeter shooting, a trade for Irving seemed like the perfect solution.

As analysts Skip Bayless and Shannon Sharpe have explained, the Lakers brass may have qualms about trading for Irving. Given the controversy Irving has generated over the past month, the last thing the Lakers need are more distractions.

Kyrie Irving has been a constant source of controversy since parting ways with LeBron James in Cleveland. From his time in Boston to his recent stint with the Nets, Irving's off-court antics have been front and center.

While many believe James can keep him in check, there is a lot of concern about Irving's unpredictability. With the Lakers being one of the worst teams in the league, they might need to take a chance on Irving.

Do you think the Lakers will ultimately make a move for Irving? Or will the team figure things out on their own?