NBA Trades: 3 teams that should have interest in Kyrie Irving: LA Clippers
One of the three teams that The Athletic reported were interested in Irving, the LA Clippers actually make a lot of sense for multiple reasons. They have the ability to trade for Irving because of multiple players on their roster with midtier salaries, players who are actually good and could stick in Brooklyn as rotation pieces.
Norman Powell, Marcus Morris, Luke Kennard, Robert Covington, and Reggie Jackson all make between $11 million and $17 million, and Ivica Zubac has a team option for $7.5 million. If Irving opts into his $36.9 million player option, the Clippers can send two or three of those contracts to the Nets in exchange for Irving. Would the Nets at least be interested in working Covington, Kennard, and Zubac into their rotation?
Irving gives the Clippers an ultra-talented true point guard, and the perimeter shot creation of Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and Irving all together is staggering. Irving also is liable to stay connected better in a situation where he isn’t the top guy; knowing he is third in the pecking order may chafe, but it won’t give him the freedom to meander quite so much.
Being on a true title contender may help Irving as well, and it makes the Clippers at least somewhat sane for considering adding him to the mix. Irving raises their ceiling, and if he buys in for at least this season the Clippers can make a realistic run at a championship.