Kyrie Irving had been linked with the Lakers for months before he joined the Mavericks. LeBron James needed help and his former teammate in Cleveland looked like the perfect target for the Purple and Gold, but they couldn't make it happen.
Instead, when Kyrie requested a trade out of Brooklyn, it was Dallas who got him out of the Nets. Rob Pelinka managed to improve the Lakers' roster in his own way, with multiple trades that eventually brought better results.
But are the Lakers done with pursuing Irving? According to Matt Barnes, we shouldn't write them off. The former champion with the Warriors in 2017 claimed they can still land him if they really want to.
Matt Barnes suggests Lakers are still a potential destination for Irving
"When the Lakers want someone, they get him," Barnes said on his 'All The Smoke' podcast, via Lakers Daily. "No matter what the cap is, no matter what they have to do when the Lakers want someone they get him. So it'll definitely be a Kyrie watch.
"When they want someone, they make it happen. I don't expect him to be back in Dallas, to be honest with you. I just don't know if that was a very good fit, although they didn't have a ton of time to play together. I just don't think that's where he lands this summer."
Needless to say, Irving's trade to the Mavs didn't go according to plan. Dallas still looks interested in having him back next season, but it's not up to them. Depending on how they fare in the playoffs, the Lakers could make another run at him in the next few months.