Google News Nets owner Joe Tsai didn't want to send Kyrie Irving to Lakers
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Brooklyn Nets owner Joe Tsai reportedly told the team management to avoid sending Kyrie Irving to the Los Angeles Lakers, who were his preferred trade destination. Late last week, it was reported that Irving demanded to be traded from the Nets or otherwise he would just leave the team in free agency.
In the summer, there was a mutual interest between the Lakers and Irving but nothing happened. After Irving demanded a trade from the Nets, Lebron James openly admitted he would like to see the Lakers trading for Irving.
On Sunday, the Nets agreed to trade Irving to the Dallas Mavericks. “The Nets also succeeded, as one source close to the process put it, in meeting one of the presumed objectives held by team owner Joe Tsai by sending Irving somewhere other than the Lakers — his preferred destination," Marc Stein wrote on his substack.
The Nets made sure Irving would not end up with the Lakers
Irving and James were teammates for a few seasons during their time with the Cleveland Cavaliers. In 2016, Irving and James delivered the city of Cleveland their first NBA championship.
In 2017, Irving left the Cavaliers because he wasn't happy about James being the guy there. But since then Irving has publicly admitted that he was wrong. After Irving demanded a trade, here is what James said about the possibility of teaming up with Irving again.
"That's a Rob question. You got to see him when y'all get back to L.A. I've told y'all a couple weeks, I don't speak for our front office. My mindset is whatever lineup or whatever group that we have is to make sure we prepare ourselves the best way we can to go out and win.
Obviously, that's a -- what's the word you use -- 'duh' question when you talk about a player like that," James said. Irving is now a Maverick as he and Luka Doncic are the league's newest star backcourt duo.