Report: Lakers Offered Russell Westbrook, 2 Future 1st-Round Picks To Nets For Kyrie Irving Last Season

According to NBA insider Dave McMenamin of ESPN, the Los Angeles Lakers aggressively tried to acquire Kyrie Irving from the Brooklyn Nets last season. 

The Lakers’ offer centered on Russell Westbrook and two future first-round picks in 2027 and 2029.

The Nets wound up trading Irving to the Dallas Mavericks. 

Los Angeles superstar LeBron James, who played with Irving on the Cleveland Cavaliers from 2014-15 to 2016-17, was upset Irving landed with the Mavericks instead of the Lakers. 

“I can’t sit here and say I’m not disappointed on not being able to land such a talent, but [also] someone that I had great chemistry with, and know I got great chemistry with on the floor, that can help you win championships, in my mind, in my eyes,” LeBron told ESPN’s Michael Wilbon last February.

Irving was an unrestricted free agent last offseason and LeBron wanted the Lakers to sign him. However, Irving re-signed with the Mavericks. 

Irving told NBA reporter Mellisa Rohlin of Fox Sports that he considered reuniting with LeBron on the Lakers last offseason.

“Everything was considered,” Irving said. “He’s a great friend of mine, a great brother of mine. We obviously played together [in Cleveland]. Everybody knows our history. But there were so many different factors in between. When it comes to business decisions, you have to ask the GMs, the presidents why certain things didn’t work out.”

LeBron and Irving were a special dynamic duo. The Cavaliers were 132-51 in the regular season when LeBron and Irving played. 

LeBron averaged 25.5 points, 7.4 rebounds, 7.8 assists, 1.4 steals and 0.6 blocks next to Irving, while Irving put up 22.1 points, 3.1 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 1.3 steals and 0.3 blocks per game alongside LeBron. 

The Cavaliers defeated the 73-9 Golden State Warriors in the 2016 NBA Finals behind LeBron and Irving. Cleveland is the only team in NBA history to erase a 3-1 series deficit in the Finals.