NBA Twitter Shares LeBron James Memes After Lakers Fail to Trade for Kyrie Irving | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors
David Schmidt
Published Mar 23, 2026
The Los Angeles Lakers were thought to be a possible landing spot for Kyrie Irving after he requested to be traded from the Brooklyn Nets, as he would have been reunited with his former running mate, LeBron James.
However, that idea quickly vanished Sunday when the Nets traded Irving to the Dallas Mavericks, which pairs him alongside star point guard Luka DonΔiΔ.
After losing out on the chance to add a superstar player for the stretch run of the 2022-23 season, the Lakers face the daunting task of finding another route to upgrade its roster ahead of Thursday's trade deadline. If the team is unable to make a significant addition, it will have to forge ahead with the current group that currently ranks last in the Pacific Division at 25-29.
The Lakers and James were the subject of ridicule from NBA Twitter after Irving was shipped to Dallas on Sunday:
Bleacher Report @BleacherReportLeBron seeing Kyrie get traded to the Mavs<a href="">
Bleacher Report @BleacherReportLeBron rn π <a href="">
Mina Kimes @minakimesRob Pelinka and LeBron <a href="">
Josiah Johnson @KingJosiah54Lakers: "Let's trade for Kevin Durant!"<br><br>Nets: "What you got?"<br><br>Lakers: <a href="">
CBS Sports @CBSSportsLeBron finding out Kyrie ain't coming to LA <a href="">
StatMuse @statmuseLeBron right now <a href="">
House of Highlights @HoHighlightsLakers fans when they saw Kyrie trade news π <br><br>(π₯: walid/IG) <a href="">
Robert Griffin III @RGIIILakers fans gotta be sick
Complex Sports @ComplexSportsLeBron telling Rich Paul to send in his trade request <a href="">
Overtime @overtimeLakers fans right now <a href="">
NBA Memes @NBAMemesLeBron rn after seeing the Kyrie Mavs trade <a href="">
James has not been shy about expressing his desire for the Lakers to make some changes that would help the team contend for a title. However, the trade market is starting to thin out as the deadline approaches, leaving Los Angeles with a lack of options that would help turn its season around.
The Lakers will be under a microscope this week, as it will be fascinating to see what direction the team takes to appease James. If Los Angeles is unable to make a move, it will lead to an unhappy 38-year-old for the remainder of the year.
