The 2022 NBA trade deadline was more active than literally anyone could've anticipated. Not only did the Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers rock the league by swapping James Harden and Ben Simmons, but a series of additional major, unexpected deals were agreed upon before the clock struck 3:00 p.m. Eastern time on Thursday. Conspicuously absent in Thursday's whirlwind of trades, though? The struggling Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks.

Don't mistake the league's glamor teams standing pat at the deadline for either front office's comfort with the status quo, though. According to ESPN's Brian Windhorst, the Lakers and Knicks even discussed a deal that would've sent draft picks to New York and players to Los Angeles, a framework that ultimately fell apart.

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It's safe to say New York had little to no interest in acquiring Russell Westbrook, who has a $47 million player option on his contract for next season. There were murmurs in recent days about Los Angeles' interest in Cam Reddish, though, and it's not like Tom Thibodeau has made the third-year wing a fixture for the Knicks since they traded for him last month.

A framework of Reddish and Alec Burks in exchange for Talen Horton-Tucker, Kendrick Nunn and the Lakers' 2027 first-round pick seems like one that would've been beneficial for both parties. Alas, negotiations clearly hit a snag, leaving Los Angeles and New York on the outside looking in at arguably the most consequential trade deadline in league history.