Ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers' 2022-23 campaign, Russell Westbrook felt betrayed by All-Star LeBron James amid trade rumors that LeBron was pushing for a reunion with Kyrie Irving. The only problem at the time was fitting Westbrook into the deal, which was a move that the Brooklyn Nets weren't interested in making at the time. Ahead of James' 23rd NBA season in 2025-26, he's still chasing his second championship with the Lakers.
James was interested in swapping Westbrook, his Lakers teammate at the time, for Irving, which got back to Russell. It's what led to an awkward noninteraction between James and Westbrook at a Summer League game in July, per Yaron Weitzman.
“The scene became the talk of the night. Side-by-side images contrasting how LeBron and Westbrook had interacted at summer league the previous year—they’d entered the building together and sat next to each other—made the rounds on social media. The noninteraction was red meat for talking heads. It also sparked concerns within the team’s new coaching staff,” Weitzman wrote.
“We knew that we’d have to bring Westbrook off the bench eventually because things weren’t a good fit,” a Lakers coach said. “But seeing that play out that night it was like, ‘Oh, these mother******* aren’t even talking to each other.’”
Irving was entering the final year of his contract, a player option worth $36.9 million, and wanted an extenstion, which the Nets were not willing to do given Irving missed chunks of the regular season, and refused to get a COVID vaccine. He was also suspended for promoting an antisemetic documentary on social media. Brooklyn was not willing to extend his deal. Therefore, Kyrie asked for a trade, with the Lakers mentioned as one of his preferred destinations.
However, it didn't get him any closer to LeBron and the Lakers.
Nets, Lakers reportedly discussed a Kyrie Irving trade
The Lakers never came close to poaching Irving from the Nets in exchange for Russell Westbrook. The trade attempt also fractured Lakers All-Star LeBron James' relationship with Westbrook.
“Negotiations between the Lakers and Nets went nowhere. Pelinka never showed any real interest in Irving. And even if he had, the Nets had no desire to take Westbrook back,” Weitzman wrote. “Irving picked up his option and remained in Brooklyn, but by then the damage was done. Because of the NBA’s salary-matching rules, the only way for the Lakers to acquire Irving would have been by dealing Westbrook.
“Westbrook knew this, and he knew that LeBron did as well. Meaning that no matter what LeBron said in public, the reality was clear: He was pushing for the Lakers to ship Westbrook out.”
Westbrook was ultimately traded to the Jazz in Feburary, 2023.
