Why The Charlotte Hornets Do The Deal 

Kyrie Irving will play NBA basketball again. Simply put, he’s too talented not to. Let’s start there. 

The question is whether he ought to do so on the Hornets. To be sure, they already have their point guard of the future. Could Irving co-exist with LaMelo Ball? 

We think so. In the modern NBA, positions are virtually dead. Ball is a distributor, and Irving is a scorer. They can share a backcourt on paper. 

Moreover, Irving isn’t the only potentially distressed asset here. Rumors of Hayward’s displeasure with the Hornets exist. He also has an extra year on his contract – even if this doesn’t work out for the Hornets, they’re landing an expiring deal here at the cost of two players who don’t likely factor into their future anyway. 

LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Kyrie Irving, Brooklyn Nets & Charlotte Hornets Updates

On a related note: this could work. The Hornets would have one of the most talented backcourts in the NBA. If Irving is just willing and able to regularly suit up, he could launch this team into a different tier. Should the Nets really part with such a difference-maker?