Kyrie Irving interested in trade to San Antonio Spurs
By Simon Shortt
What will it cost?
Bringing in Kyrie Irving would require taking in his $18.9 million salary for the 2017-18 season. It’s a cost well worth his abilities, but is it one the Spurs can take on? With no cap space, the team would have to clear just as much as they bring in to make the move happen. This would require giving up some big contracts.
LaMarcus Aldridge is obviously the first to come to mind. The 32-year-old big man struggled some in last year’s playoffs and was reported to be on the trade block this summer. Plus, his near $21.5 million owed this season creates enough room to take on Irving’s contract.
The only problem is, who would take him? With what could be a one-year rental for a traditional power forward, it might be hard to find suitors. The Spurs would gladly move Aldridge for Irving, but it would take draft picks and young talent to incentivize a team to take him on.
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Because the Cavaliers don’t have to trade Irving, it would take a large return for them to move him. That means the Spurs would have to give up some real assets, whether it be to Cleveland, or a potential third team in the deal. Unless the Cavaliers have a secret love of Kyle Anderson (I do) the only player in San Antonio they could be realistically looking at is Dejounte Murray.
Murray is now a second-year point guard who looks like the future floor general for the Spurs. If the Cavs do trade Irving and have to rebuild next summer, Murray could be a good starting point. If not in Cleveland, Murray would be a good bargaining chip to any third team offering different pieces to the Cavs.
Somebody, Cleveland or otherwise, could also be interested in the services of guard Danny Green. A two-way wing with a good three-point stroke on a decent contract is good to have on a team. If a third team got involved and Cleveland could move either Channing Frye or Iman Shumpert, it could theoretically work.
So the deal would probably cost the team Aldridge, or Danny Green, Murray, more salary cap filler and a couple draft picks, most likely in a three-team deal. That’s a big haul if Cleveland were interested, but when you’re talking about arguably one of the best 15 players in the league, it’s definitely something to consider.