Brooklyn Nets point guard Kyrie Irving has requested a trade, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania and ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Drama has followed the 30-year-old throughout every step of his Nets tenure. In the 2020-21 season, his refusal to get the COVID-19 vaccine forced him out of the line-up for home games until New York mayor Eric Adams altered the city’s laws.
This past off-season, Irving asked for and was granted permission to seek a sign-and-trade, though he eventually reneged and returned to the Nets.
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Then, earlier this season, he was suspended by the team for sharing a documentary with anti-Semitic views, then refusing to apologise.
Star teammate Kevin Durant also requested a trade this past off-season before agreeing to return to the team.
On the season, Irving is averaging 27.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 5.3 assists.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
Even for a player of Irving’s obvious talent and ability, it is going to be hard to find a suitor before the trade deadline willing to make a move for him given the series of off-the-court dramas he has been involved in.
A genuine title contender may not currently have or want to trade the assets needed to secure Irving and would risk disrupting team harmony by making such a significant move.
Meanwhile, a struggling team who may have the right package to trade for Irving is unlikely to be the best fit for the Nets superstar either given the risk involved.
Plus – it is hard seeing Irving sticking around very long at a team that is not a serious chance of contending for the title in the next few years.
There is one team that stands out though, the Los Angeles Lakers.
With the West wide-open and Anthony Davis finally fit and healthy, the Lakers have a genuine chance to make a serious playoff push and adding Irving could immediately vault them into contending for the championship.
NBA insider Shams Charania said on Saturday morning that the Lakers could be in the mix, although much of it will come down to whether a trade package centred around Russell Westbrook and the team’s two first-round picks will be enough.
“The Lakers are being very active for a trade overall in the market,” Charania said on ‘The Pat McAfee Show’.
“When you look at Russell Westbrook, you look at their two first-round picks, is that enough for Kyrie Irving? Do the Lakers make that offer? That’s something we’re going to have to track.”
It is not the first time LeBron James and the Lakers have been linked to Irving, with the Lakers superstar reportedly pushing for the pair to link up in July last year.
NBA insider Marc Stein wrote at the time that a deal could be done as James looked to revive the duo’s collaboration that took the Cavaliers to an NBA title.
Stein said his confidence in a deal being reached last year: “stems from repeated rumbles in circulation that LeBron James is rooting hard for Irving’s addition to the roster. James, I’m told, wants to see Irving in Lakerland more than anyone.”
– This originally appeared in the NY Post and was republished with consent.
