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We came up with four trade offers Brooklyn could consider for Kyrie Irving.
Kyrie Irving has again decided he wants to be traded from the Brooklyn Nets. The star guard asked Brooklyn’s front office to trade him on Friday afternoon after a breakdown in contract extension talks, according to Shams Charania and Adrian Wojnarowski. Irving will be a free agent after this season. He also requested a trade from the Nets last summer after failing to come to terms on a contract extension, but Brooklyn called his bluff and brought back both Irving and Kevin Durant for this season.
The Nets have been among the best teams in the East all year despite an injury to Durant over the last month. Brooklyn sits at 30-21 overall on the day Irving requested his trade, and could still feasibly make the NBA Finals out of the Eastern Conference. Now Irving is telling the Nets to trade him, and threatening that he’ll walk away this summer for nothing if they don’t pull the trigger.
It’s been another controversy-filled year for Irving. After sitting out most of last season because he refused to get the Covid vaccine, Irving was suspended by the Nets this year for sharing antisemitic propaganda on social media. He was voted as an All-Star starter regardless and currently No. 11 in the NBA in scoring by averaging 27.1 points per game.
Irving can’t stay away from controversy, but he’s also still very good at basketball. Who would possibly want to trade for him and then sign him to a max extension? It’s a risky move for any team, but there are four organizations who could realistically pull off a deal. Here are some of our favorite Kyrie trade packages.
Lakers potential trade package for Kyrie Irving
A Nets-Lakers trade built around swapping Russell Westbrook and future draft picks for Irving will be the one everyone is talking about. Westbrook is also an expiring contract. The first round picks in 2027 and 2029 are the next available draft picks for the Lakers to trade, and would likely have to be unprotected to get Brooklyn to think about biting.
The big question here will be the appeal of those draft picks. They are five and seven years away at this point, and won’t keep the Nets competitive this season or into the future.
The Lakers were reportedly thinking about trading at least one pick to the Jazz for role players like Mike Conley and Jared Vanderbilt. Trading for Irving instead would offer a lot more upside. The Lakers would then presumably pay Irving a max deal even if that meant paying the luxury tax.
This deal should be on the table for Brooklyn. Can anyone else beat it?
Heat potential trade package for Kyrie Irving
The Heat make plenty of sense as an Irving suitor. Miami is always chasing superstars, and Jimmy Butler and Irving have a close relationship dating back to their days with USA Basketball. The Heat have the advantage of being able to throw in their first round pick this year, but they can’t trade another pick until 2027. Both are in this proposed deal.
Lowry has one season left on his contract after this year, which may be a deterrent for Brooklyn. Jovic was Miami’s first round pick in 2022, and has great size and an enticing offensive skill set on the perimeter, but he struggles on defense and badly needs to add weight to his frame.
The Heat would be dynamic offensive with Irving. Would Brooklyn pull the trigger?
Mavericks potential trade package for Kyrie Irving
The Mavericks desperately need a co-star next to Luka Doncic after losing Jalen Brunson to the Knicks in free agency. Irving projects as a great on-court fit next to Doncic because he’s an elite ball handler and a great shooter. Of course, that only really works if Irving can keep the focus on basketball.
Brooklyn would get a couple decent veterans out of this, including former Net guard Spencer Dinwiddie. The draft picks convey sooner than the Lakers’ do. Dallas could also throw in Josh Green if they want to make their best and final offer.
Irving and Luka could be so deadly together on the court, but it also seems like a combustable pairing. Is this really the co-star Dallas has been saving up for next to Doncic? It would have high upside but be incredibly risky.
Suns potential trade package for Kyrie Irving
The Suns were in the NBA Finals just two years ago, but they risk falling out of relevancy in the West with Chris Paul getting older. Irving would certainly provide another ball handler and long-range shooter next to Devin Booker, Mikal Bridges, and Deandre Ayton. The Suns have a new owner coming in who reportedly wants to keep the team competitive. Is trading for Irving a risk he would take?
CP3 is still effective even if his game is starting to slip as he’ll turn 38 years old during the playoffs. Paul and Durant could keep the Nets dreaming about a championship this year, but those dreams might be delusional.
Will the Nets actually trade Irving this time around? Are there better deals out there? Let us know in the comments.
