Reacts: Will the Lakers regret not landing Kyrie Irving?

Feb 7, 2023 - 6:39 PM

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Months and months of patience from the Lakers on the trade market looked to have perfectly positioned themselves to pounce on the Kyrie Irving situation. With all of their draft picks and tradeable contracts available, the Lakers finally could land their All-Star that had desperately searched for.

But the trade negotiations played out differently and the Lakers never came all that close to landing Irving. The Nets asking price was too steep for the purple and gold and they never came close to meeting it.

This week’s SB Nations Reacts survey focuses on whether it was the right decision for the Lakers to hold firm or if they would regret their decision.

While it’s frustrating to have the opportunity present itself only for the Lakers to allow it to pass by, the Lakers couldn’t just give in on all the Nets demands and, specifically, when they ask for everything the team has left to trade in the deal. It wasn’t a realistic trade offer the Nets were seeking from the Lakers.

And none of that even takes into account everything that comes with having Kyrie on your roster. That alone makes the deal one that requires a healthy dose of consideration before even discussing the trade return.

It’s a calculation the Lakers had to make and they held firm on their stance. It may have left LeBron James disappointed but it was the right call by the Lakers to not give in entirely.

For all the latest heading into the NBA trade deadline, check out our Silver Screen and Roll Lakers trade rumors tracker. You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude.