There is a lot to unpack right now when it comes to the situation with the Brooklyn Nets. Kevin Durant’s trade request surprised a lot of people, as it came after Kyrie Irving opted in to his contract for the 2022-23 NBA season. Despite being able to play with each other one more season, Durant is ready to move on.
Speculation has run rampant about where Durant could end up, as he wants to play for the Phoenix Suns. The Miami Heat are the only other known team on his preferred list of teams to play for.
But, the one thing we do know is that Durant will be traded. The same cannot be said for Irving, who likely played his last game as a Net but has a cloudier outlook. His market was seemingly ice-cold last week, which played a part in his opting into his contract.
There have been rumors that the Nets could use the stretch provision on him, spreading his dead cap out across a few years. A trade can still materialize, but there likely aren’t many teams that will be willing to spend assets to acquire a player who has been as unreliable staying on the court as Irving has been.
LATEST NBA NEWS AND TRADE RUMORS: Kyrie Irving Trade More Likely For Los Angeles Lakers Amid Kevin Durant News
But, all it takes is one team. Could that team be the Los Angeles Lakers? Desperate to upgrade their roster, they are reportedly the only team willing to take on Durant and Irving as a pair. Brain Windhorst shared the news on ESPN’s NBA Today.
It is hard to understand, after seeing how things have gone for the Nets the last three seasons, that any team would want Durant and Irving as a package. But, when you struggled as much as the Lakers did last season, they would certainly fit the bill as a team willing to take that chance.
Russell Westbrook, Talen Horton-Tucker and Kendrick Nunn fall just about $2.7 million short of being legal based on the salary cap. If Los Angeles renounced the rights to some players or included Stanley Johnson and his $2.3 million salary, they would get close.
LATEST NBA NEWS AND TRADE RUMORS: Kyrie Irving Trade More Likely For Los Angeles Lakers Amid Kevin Durant News
Accepting a trade package of that caliber would be truly shocking in a deal that includes Kevin Durant. But, if the Brooklyn Nets are desperate enough to move off of Kyrie Irving, they could consider it, especially if the Los Angeles Lakers include all of their available draft picks.
