"Extremely rare Nets W" - NBA fans believe Brooklyn made right call by turning down Lakers offer of Russell Westbrook for Kyrie Irving 

Fans believe that the Brooklyn Nets made the right decision to turn down the LA Lakers' offer of Russell Westbrook for Kyrie Irving last year. The Nets ended up trading Irving to the Dallas Mavericks and now they are in the NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics.

According to ESPN's Dave McMenamin, the Lakers were actively trying to acquire Irving from the Nets. They offered a former MVP in Westbrook plus two first-round picks in 2027 and 2029. However, Westbrook's value at the time was at an all-time low, and Nets owner Joe Tsai did not want Irving in Los Angeles.

The Mavericks swooped in and got Irving in exchange for a package that consisted of Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith, a 2029 first-round pick and two second-round picks. Dinwiddie is no longer in Brooklyn, while Finney-Smith has two more years left in his deal with the Nets.

NBA fans were surprised to see the Brooklyn Nets make a rare good deal since they are somewhat known of late for bad trades, such as the 2013 blockbuster flop with the Boston Celtics and the James Harden fiasco two years ago:

"Extremely rare Nets W," a fan wrote.

"No way the Nets were going to trade Kyrie to LA," another fan claimed.

"Why would the Nets take Russ?" one fan asked.

Other fans pointed out Russell Westbrook's trade value back then compared to Kyrie Irving. Westbrook was on a decline and was coming off the worst season of his career, while Irving might have some baggage with him, he was still in the prime of his career:

"That's actually a good offer but Westbrook's value was in the gutter. People also don't like the Lakers," a fan commented.

"Nobody would get rid of Kyrie Irving for Russell Westbrick and two first round picks," another fan remarked.

"Russell Westbrook is never the answer no matter what," one fan claimed.

---

Kyrie Irving thrived in Dallas, while Russell Westbrook ended up with LA Clippers

There were questions about Kyrie Irving's fit with Luka Doncic in Dallas once the trade was made. It was up for debate until the Mavericks missed the playoffs last year and Irving was an unrestricted free agent. He signed a new deal with Dallas and they are now in the NBA Finals.

Irving has been fantastic for the Mavericks this season and his chemistry with Doncic is off the charts. It also helped that the Dallas front office surrounded them with the right pieces, drafting Dereck Lively II and acquiring Daniel Gafford and P.J. Washington at the trade deadline.

Meanwhile, Russell Westbrook ended up getting traded to the Utah Jazz but was waived before signing with the LA Clippers. Westbrook has been good as a sixth man for the Clippers and will likely be a free agent this offseason if he opts out of his contract.