Kyrie Irving is one of the most talented players in the NBA. Few players have his deep bag of offensive moves, from stepback jumpers to impossible layups spinning off of the glass. When Irving has the ball in his hands, what he creates is very often magical.
On the other hand, he is also one of the most mercurial and frustrating players in the NBA. His decision-making on major life issues is either deeply flawed or entirely insane, he has “left” two excellent situations to seek something different, and now rumors are flying that he could be on the move again.
The Brooklyn Nets and Kyrie Irving are “at an impasse” in contract negotiations. Which other NBA teams should be interested in adding Kyrie?
This past season certainly did not end the way that the Brooklyn Nets hoped, with a four-game sweep at the hands of the Boston Celtics, and their slot as the seventh-seed was caused in large part by Irving missing dozens of games because he refused to get vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus. Given this is the third time in three years Irving has missed part of a season due to very particular off-court reasons, the Nets have to be concerned about relying on him moving forward.
That likely influences their reported hesitance to offer Irving a long-term deal, which means he may be on the move this summer. Whether he exercises his player option to hit free agency or opts in for a deal, the relationship between Irving and Brookyln may have degraded to an unfixable level. Conversations have “gone stagnant” and Irving is now clear to “consider the open marketplace, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (subscription required).
If that is the case, who are three teams that could make a move to add the former championship point guard?
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.
NBA Trades: 3 teams that should have interest in Kyrie Irving: New York Knicks
Name a star player, and the New York Knicks are interested. They’re clearing space for that player, accumulating assets, stockpiling draft picks, or establishing a culture of winning to lure that player towards them. From Damian Lillard to Zion Williamson to Kemba Walker (whoops), they’re in the mix for everyone.
That includes Irving, a true star worthy of the big lights of Madison Square Garden who just so happens to play their biggest position of need. The Knicks are looking everywhere for a point guard, from Jalen Brunson to Malcolm Brogdon to trying to trade up to draft Jaden Ivey. Taking a swing at Irving makes too much sense.
The easiest path for New York is to execute a trade with the Nets, either a sign-and-trade that grants Irving a new deal or a riskier deal for Irving with one year remaining. They could send make some salary and some picks or young players to make it worth the Nets’ time.
If the Nets don’t play ball, however, Irving could sign with the Knicks outright if they clear a large amount of salary. That is doable, as Fred Katz lays out in his piece for The Athletic (subscription required).
Irving would instantly be the offensive engine for a Knicks team that sputtered last season, with RJ Barrett hopefully stepping into the number-two role, and Julius Randle cast into a third-string slot that better fits his talent level. There would certainly be risks, but the upside would be high as well.
NBA Trades: 3 teams that should have interest in Kyrie Irving: Washington Wizards
Shams Charania’s article reported that the Los Angeles Lakers were the third team with interest in Irving, but that’s just like their interest in Collin Sexton, Bradley Beal, and the Mon-Stars: An unrealistic pipe dream, as it would require some team valuing Russell Westbrook as something other than a problem on both-end of the court making more money than all but three players in the entire league.
So instead, the Washington Wizards enter the fray. They are also on the hunt for a point guard; the Spencer Dinwiddie signing from last offseason didn’t work out, and he is now in Dallas. The Wizards are linked to every semi-available point guard on the market, from Malcolm Brogdon to Collin Sexton to perhaps even a reunion with John Wall.
They are also not afraid to take a swing on a player with a damaged reputation; they traded for Westbrook two seasons ago, and at this past trade deadline brought in Kristaps Porzingis. Adding Kyrie Irving would presumably not scare them, and give them a chance at playing for something other than the Play-In Tournament.
It’s nearly impossible for the Wizards to generate max cap space and retain Bradley Beal. If Beal splits, then replacing him with Irving becomes somewhat simple, if Kyrie is interested. The possibility to a Beal-for-Irving swap is also at least worth discussing, although it seems a bit too insane to contemplate.
Most likely, they would stack the contracts of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Kyle Kuzma, and another combo forward (perhaps Deni Avdija) to bring in Irving. That means the Nets would have to play ball, but they may like the idea of adding players like Caldwell-Pope and Kuzma to their playoff rotation.
No matter what else happens in the world of basketball, Kyrie Irving finds a way to get into the headlines. It still seems like he will find a way to stay with the Nets, but if he does move on these three teams will likely be in the fray trying to bring him aboard. It didn’t work for Boston or Brooklyn; third time’s the charm?