Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving could be the most popular player in the 2024 NBA Finals. With less than 48 hours until Game 1, the eight-time All-Star is the center of attention in the NBA. Indeed, an increasing number of fans are enamored with both his unique talent and the way he conducts himself off the court. This has resulted in an abundance of Irving-related stories, all of which have been favorable. Just today, former teammate LeBron James expressed his disappointment at losing Irving as a teammate.
Lakers’ Trade Offer for Kyrie Irving, Revealed
It’s interesting to consider that the Los Angeles Lakers, for whom James still plays until he says otherwise, nearly brought the two players back together. According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, the Lakers were one of several clubs that aggressively pursued Irving before the trade deadline after the Brooklyn Nets put him on the market last season. “The Lakers’ offer centered on Russell Westbrook and two future first-round picks in 2027 and 2029.”
If the Lakers had dealt Russell Westbrook and two first-round selections for Irving, the Mavericks would have gotten Benison. All Los Angeles has been missing is a guard capable of scoring efficiently and quickly. Westbrook was unable to fit into their Big 3 paradigm because he could not shoot three-pointers. D’Angelo Russell was too streaky and withered in the times when Irving shined. Regardless, whether the Nets didn’t want to send Irving somewhere he wanted to go or simply believed in Spencer Dinwiddie, they clearly declined L.A.’s offer.
One Problem For Another
Interestingly, Dinwiddie was traded after 74 games with Brooklyn. The Nets traded him to the Toronto Raptors in exchange for Dennis Schroder. Interestingly, Schroder played for the Lakers last season, while Dinwiddie signed with them after being dismissed by the Raptors. Schroder performed well after moving to Brooklyn, averaging 14.6 points and 6.0 assists per game while shooting 41.2 percent from three. He’s also under contract till next season. However, his talent level is a few notches lower than Irving’s. As a result, the transaction did not work out well for the Nets.
Nonetheless, they simply substituted one problem for another. Dinwiddie was dissatisfied with his role and said this publicly. Schroder was acquired to replace both Ben Simmons and Dinwiddie. Simmons was the standout in the Harden trade, but his poor health has made him difficult to build around.
