Why The Brooklyn Nets Do The Deal 

The Nets do the deal before they lose Irving for nothing. At this point, trading him has a benefit no matter what they receive in return. 

After all, this isn’t the first year that Irving’s…views…have kept him off the basketball court. In 2021-22, it was his refusal to get the COVID-19 vaccine. This year, it’s his endorsement of an anti-Semitic film. 

To call Irving unreliable would be an understatement. By contrast, Russell is at least consistent. If he’s healthy, he’ll be playing the NBA basketball he’s paid to play. 

It’s hard to otherwise justify this deal for Brooklyn. Perhaps Russell is a marginally more talented passer than Irving, but all things considered, he’s clearly the inferior player.

LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Kyrie Irving, Brooklyn Nets & Minnesota Timberwolves Updates

Still, his reliability, in light of how unreliable Irving is, could be a large enough advantage to justify this deal on its own. 

Should the Wolves really take a risk on such a player?