By Matt McCarthy, 985TheSportsHub.com
Is Kobe Bryant trying to lure Kyrie Irving to the Los Angeles Lakers?
According to the latest report on Irving’s impending free agency, he just might be.
In an appearance with Colin Cowherd, NBA reporter Ric Bucher pegged the Brooklyn Nets and the Los Angeles Lakers as Irving’s most likely destinations. Bryant, according to Bucher, has ramped up his efforts to recruit Irving to Los Angeles in recent days.
“Kobe has been busy recruiting Kyrie in particular to try to get him to the Lakers,”
"It's between Brooklyn and the Lakers... I was told in the last 24 hours Kobe has been recruiting Kyrie in particular, to get him to the Lakers. Everything I've heard I would still expect Kyrie is going to go to Brooklyn... He just bought a place in South Orange." — @RicBucher pic.twitter.com/HICrTPushl
— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) May 28, 2019
Despite Bryant’s reported involvement in recruiting Irving to play for the Lakers, Bucher said the Nets are the favorite to land Kyrie.
“I would still expect that Kyrie is going to go to Brooklyn. That’s the odds on favorite,” Bucher said.
Irving is also said to have recently purchased a home in South Orange, New Jersey, for whatever that is worth.
As always, rumors, especially NBA rumors, should be taken with a grain of salt, but it’s worth noting that the Celtics don’t seem to be coming up as a potential destination for Kyrie in most of these reports.
You can hear Matt McCarthy on various 98.5 The Sports Hub programs. Follow him on Twitter @MattMcCarthy985.