03 February 2023 , 22:58
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LeBron James broke his silence on Kyrie Irving's trade request with a cryptic tweet posted late on Friday. Irving demanded a move away from the Brooklyn Nets with a bombshell ultimatum just days before the trade deadline.
Irving wants to leave the Nets within the next few days, despite having indicated he'd be willing to sign a new contract in Brooklyn. He was recently offered a new deal at the Barclays Center, but rejected the offer.
After rejecting the proposal, Irving indicated to the team that he wanted to be traded before the deadline on February 9 - and that he would leave in free agency if he didn't get his move.
The Los Angeles Lakers are believed to be interested in making a move for the All-Star guard, and have been tipped to send Russell Westbrook the opposite way.
James has been desperate for the Lakers to make moves in the trade market in order to improve their chances of making a run at the NBA Championship, and played with Irving in the past at the Cleveland Cavaliers.
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Irving reportedly has an interest in moving to the Lakers, and James offered a cryptic clue over his reaction to the news after it broke. James tweeted the eyes emoji along with the crown emoji - the latter he posts at the end of most of his tweets in reference to his nickname of 'The King'.
LeBron James posted the cryptic tweet after Kyrie Irving's trade demandJames isn't the only person associated with the Lakers calling for him to come to the West coast. Magic Johnson, an all-time great and Lakers legend, tweeted: "Personally, I’d love to see Kyrie in the purple and gold."
Irving is reportedly seeking a four-year contract worth $198.5million - but there are roadblocks in the way of him getting a move now. According to ESPN, the Lakers and Dallas Mavericks are leading the way in terms of interested teams, but are cautious about offering significant assets in a trade.
The Phoenix Suns are also interested, but are unlikely to make an offer before the deadline.