After the shocking trade of Kyrie Irving to the Dallas Mavericks, the Los Angeles Lakers find themselves all the way down the West’s totem pole. Currently 25-29, the Lakers rank just 13th in the West, ahead of only the Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs. Irving would have certainly helped change their fortune, but Los Angeles’ front office might have deemed the asking price for him to be too steep.
What Brooklyn wanted from the Lakers for Kyrie Irving:
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) February 6, 2023
Austin Reaves
Max Christie
Pick swaps
Two first round picks
Russell Westbrook
(Via @ShamsCharania ) pic.twitter.com/BVpoCccYxN
Perhaps it was since it would have cost them both their 2027 and 2029 first-round picks (lightly protected). On the other hand, it would have given the Lakers a six-time All-Star to pair with superstars LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Simply put, this is the type of deal that made the Lakers one of the most successful franchises in North American sports.
Yet, in recent seasons, they’ve become dysfunctional and poorly managed. As a result, it comes as no surprise that they struck out on a trade that could have saved their season and transformed them into title contenders. Now, with that being said, let’s take a look at 3 ripple effects of the Lakers failing to land Irving.