With Kyrie Irving officially headed to the Dallas Mavericks, it seems the Los Angeles Lakers have let another opportunity slip through their fingers.
For months now, it has been reported that Kyrie Irving had his eyes set on becoming a Laker and when he requested a trade from the Nets last week, it was the perfect chance for GM Rob Pelinka to grant Irving’s wishes and pair him with LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
As we know now, of course, the Lakers ultimately failed to land Kyrie. Apparently, it’s because the Lakers just weren’t willing to offer enough.
Nets and Mavs have a deal to send Kyrie Irving to Dallas, league source confirms. Lakers had offer earlier in week that included Russell Westbrook and a first round pick for Irving. The Athletic first reported Irving to Dallas.
Nets and Mavs have a deal to send Kyrie Irving to Dallas, league source confirms. Lakers had offer earlier in week that included Russell Westbrook and a first round pick for Irving. The Athletic first reported Irving to Dallas.
— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) February 5, 2023
Naturally, Lakers fans are pretty upset with the front office. The team has two of the most valuable first-round picks in the NBA but has told everyone they will only trade them for a big-name star.
Ultimately, Kyrie must not have been worth it for them since they only offered one, not both, of their picks.
What Can The Lakers Do With Kyrie Off The Table?
While Irving may be out of reach at this point, the Lakers can still make some moves if they want to help their stars win now. One such trade could involve Russell Westbrook and the Utah Jazz.
“One of the possible trade destinations for Westbrook, Utah, also remains a major catalyst ahead of the deadline. Any deal that sends Westbrook to the Jazz would almost certainly include veteran point guard Mike Conley, wing shooter Malik Beasley and forward Jarred Vanderbilt, but sources told Yahoo Sports that Utah’s front office has discussed various deals across the league with each of those three players — including several combinations of Beasley and Vanderbilt heading out of Salt Lake City together.”
So, it’s not all bad for the Lakers. While they lost their primary target, there are ways they can come out of the trade deadline better than how they entered.
But to make any moves of significance, Pelinka may have to pay a price he has been unwilling to pay so far.
We will see soon enough how serious he is about maximizing LeBron’s talent and assembling the best team he can.
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