The Los Angeles Lakers were in a tough spot when they acquired Russell Westbrook through a trade pushed by LeBron James in 2021. They were desperate to move him and get something in return, so they set their sights on Kyrie Irving, who was reportedly unhappy with the Brooklyn Nets at the time.
In the summer of 2022, the Lakers made an initial attempt to land Irving, but negotiations didn’t progress far enough. As the 2022-23 trade deadline approached, the Lakers made another effort to trade for Irving, but were once again unsuccessful. Ultimately, Irving was traded to the Dallas Mavericks, who will face the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals starting on Thursday.
According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, reports revealed that the Lakers offered Westbrook and two future first-round draft picks in exchange for Irving. While there were initial concerns about offering two future first-round picks in a trade involving Westbrook, Lakers executive Rob Pelinka was hesitant to make such a move. LeBron James expressed his disappointment on his podcast “Mind the Game” that they weren’t able to play together on the Lakers.
While some Lakers fans may have been resistant to trading for Irving in the past, many now likely wish they had had the opportunity to see him and James reunited in Los Angeles. The pursuit of Irving by the Lakers showcased their desire to strengthen their team and bring in top talent to compete at a high level in the NBA.
The failure of Lakers to acquire Kyrie Irving has been one of their major setbacks this season as they struggle to find themselves back among top teams in Western Conference.
