The Los Angeles Lakers missed out on Kyrie Irving, falling short in a bidding war that saw the Dallas Mavericks land the All-Star point guard. However, it appears the Lakers might’ve never had a real shot at landing Irving.
LeBron James pushed the front office to acquire the perennial All-Star guard, wanting to see a commitment to winning a championship. While Los Angeles was extremely motivated to reach a deal with the Brooklyn Nets, the Mavericks came out on top.
- Kyrie Irving stats (2022-’23): 27.1 PPG, 5.3 APG, 5.1 RPG, 48.6% FG, 37.4% 3PT
Dallas took the risk, trading an unprotected 2029 first-round pick along with key rotational players Spencer Dinwiddie and Dorian Finney-Smith to Brooklyn. The deal worked out for both sides, with the Mavericks gaining a co-star for Luka Doncic and the Nets strengthening their lineup and gaining a valuable trade asset they plan to move.
Related: Los Angels Lakers back at square one after failed Kyrie Irving pursuit
While Los Angeles remained involved in trade negotiations until the very end, it seems the Nets set an asking price they knew Los Angeles couldn’t meet and there seemed to be a motive behind the decision.
According to NBA insider Marc Stein, team governor Joe Tsai didn’t want Irving to be traded to the Lakers. Because that’s exactly what the eight-time All-Star wanted, Tsai seemingly set an objective to the front office that Irving could be traded anywhere but Los Angeles.
Related: LeBron James sends out cryptic tweet after Kyrie Irving trade
What did the Lakers offer for Kyrie Irving?
According to senior NBA insider Chris Haynes, the Lakers offered Russel Westbrook and their two first-round picks in 2027 and 2029 for Irving. The proposal went against the team’s initial preference to keep its lone tradeable first-round picks, wanting to protect the future unless a superstar became available.
While Los Angeles was ultimately willing to move both picks for Irving, the offer never came close to the reported asking price. Brooklyn reportedly insisted that Los Angeles needed to include Austin Reaves and Max Christie, two young players that the Lakers are high on. Furthermore, the Nets wanted the rights to future first-round pick swaps with Los Angeles for a deal to happen.
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It’s a cost Los Angeles wasn’t willing to meet. As a result, Irving landed with the Mavericks in exchange for the lone unprotected first-round pick along with Dinwiddie and Finney-Smith.
Irving’s expiring contract isn’t the only reason why the Lakers backed away from a deal. According to Kyle Goon of The O.C. Register (H/T Silver Screen and Roll), high-ranking officials in the organization had concerns regarding Irving’s professionalism and availability.
Despite James’ disappointment in Los Angeles not pulling off the trade, multiple reports indicate the franchise never really stood a legitimate shot at acquiring Irving. It will likely prove to be the best long-term move for the franchise, but the Lakers’ NBA Finals odds took another hit.