As soon as reports emerged of Kyrie Irving requesting a trade out of Brooklyn, naturally, the Los Angeles Lakers were quickly linked as a potential landing spot. The connection came from the idea of reuniting LeBron James with Irving after the duo won an NBA Championship in Cleveland at the end of the 2015-16 season.
Yet, just two days after Irving’s trade request went public, the All-Star point guard was sent to the Dallas Mavericks, where he’s set to form a dynamic duo with MVP candidate Luka Doncic instead.
Whether the Lakers were ever viewed as a true finalist to land Irving is unknown. But several reports have suggested the Lakers did their best to land the former No. 1 overall pick, offering Russell Westbrook, along with two first-round picks. Yet the Nets’ owner, Joseph Tsai, reportedly didn’t want the Lakers to be the winners of the Irving sweepstakes.
While Los Angeles’ failed efforts may not have been their fault in this case, the face of the franchise is still upset with the Lakers’ management. James sat down with ESPN’s Michael Wilbon on Monday, just hours after the Irving trade was executed, and expressed his great displeasure about the Lakers not getting him any help.
“I can’t sit here and say I’m not disappointed on not being able to land such a talent. Definitely disappointing. We had an opportunity, it didn’t happen. We finish this season strong & try to get a bid into the postseason where I feel, when healthy, we can compete with anybody.”
LeBron James on Los Angeles Lakers’ inability to trade for Kyrie Irving
In the end, James says his focus has since shifted, and he’s ready to “move on” from the whole fiasco and finish the season strong with his teammates. Still, it’s hard not to imagine what could have been, especially if the Mavericks can experience newfound success with their newest addition.
Will the Lakers pivot to other trades ahead of the NBA’s Feb. 9 deadline? Clearly, James feels his team is already good enough to “compete with anybody,” but based on his disappointment in missing out on a top talent, the Lakers could still afford to tweak the roster. The biggest question is, do they have anything worthwhile?