The Brooklyn Nets had zero interest in any trade of Kyrie Irving that forced them to take back Russell Westbrook. Trading Irving out for Westbrook and his $47 million contract would have added tens of millions to Brooklyn’s luxury tax bill.
Brooklyn required the participation of a third team to take on Westbrook. The Lakers offered a pair of unprotected picks for Irving, but the Nets preferred receiving Dorian Finney-Smith, Spencer Dinwiddie and a 2029 first round pick from the Dallas Mavericks. The deal was decidedly less complicated than what the Lakers could do.
Brooklyn didn’t ultimately struggle with picking the offer from the Mavericks over any other for Irving.
The Lakers traded Westbrook and a protected 2027 first round pick to the Utah Jazz while receiving back D’Angelo Russell, Jarred Vanderbilt and Malik Beasley.