In 2022, the Los Angeles Lakers made several attempts to acquire Kyrie Irving, but their efforts were unsuccessful. The team had previously expressed interest in trading for Irving during the summer of 2022, but negotiations did not progress far enough. Then, just before the 2022-23 trade deadline, Los Angeles made another push to acquire Irving. However, this too was unsuccessful and Irving was ultimately traded to the Dallas Mavericks.
The Lakers had offered Russell Westbrook and two future first-round draft picks in exchange for Irving, but their offer was not enough to sway the Brooklyn Nets to make the trade. Reports at the time suggested that Lakers executive Rob Pelinka was hesitant to part with two future first-round picks in a trade that would involve Westbrook leaving while significantly improving the team. LeBron James expressed his disappointment on his podcast, wishing that he could have played alongside Irving in Los Angeles.
While some Lakers fans may have been unsure about trading for Irving initially, many of them likely now regret missing out on the opportunity to see him reunite with James in Los Angeles. The missed opportunity to bring Irving to the Lakers is something that fans and the organization may look back on with regret.
