Getty Rumors have the Knicks exploring ways to bring Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis to NYC.
Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis playing together in New York City as members of the Brooklyn Nets?
Don’t sleep on it!
Celtics’ Kyrie Irving Won’t Join Nets says Bleacher Report’s Ric Bucher – t.co/mecCFI1Gn2
NBA analyst,Chris Broussard noted on Fox Sports 1 that the Brooklyn Nets could include a package that would include D’Angelo Russell (sign and trade), Jarrett Allen and their two first-round picks (17th and 27th). While it’s an appealing offer, it might not be enough unless they throw in another asset like Caris LeVert.
Sounds very familiar actually!
Like February 1 familiar:
Brooklyn Nets are intrigued by the idea of adding Anthony Davis to their roster.
They may have a roster of players to give them the “biggest offer” the Pels have gotten yet.
👇🏽👇🏽 see next tweet 👇🏽👇🏽
The offer from the Brooklyn Nets to the New Orleans Pelicans would include:
Allen Crabbe, D’Angelo Russell, Rodions Kurucs, Jarett Allen, 2019 1st round pick swap, and 2020 Top-2 protected 1st round pick for Anthony Davis and Elfrid Payton.
The Nets discussed this very deal before the NBA’s trading deadline and re-buffed it.
Broussard also pointed out that the Nets’ end goal would be pairing up Davis and Kyrie Irving in Brooklyn.
One complicated note about this is that Kyrie cannot negotiate a deal until June 30th, while the NBA draft is before that at June 20th. The Pelicans could want different players in the draft than the Nets, which would devalue their first round picks.
A lot of complications will arise for the Nets in their run at Davis, but don’t be surprised if Sean Marks is able to work his magic and get the deal done.
Anthony Davis did not become a Los Angeles Laker at the NBA’s trading deadline.
As for Anthony Davis:
Demps told Magic this is what he wanted:
✅Lonzo
✅Kuzma
✅Ingram
✅Zubac
✅Hart
✅KCP
✅2019 unprotected FRP
✅2020 FRP swap
✅2021 unprotected FRP
✅2022 FRP swap
✅2023 unprotected FRP
✅2019 and 2021 2nd round picks
Lakers said: 👎🏽✌🏽✌🏽✌🏽✌🏽✌🏽✌🏽
On the Kyrie Irving front: His ties to New York City and the Brooklyn Nets run deep.
Irving’s dad, Drederick is a native New Yorker from the borough of the Bronx; as is Irving’s godfather, Rod Strickland, a former Knick.
Chris Broussard says the Nets are “Going as hard at Anthony Davis as anybody… Brooklyn — their dream is to pair AD and Kyrie.”
Mentions D’Angelo Russell & Jarrett Allen as trade pieces.
Strickland had seen Irving dribble the ball from time to time in the backyard and used to tell Drederick Irving, “He’s going to make you some money.”
The first time Strickland saw Irving play in an actual game was when he was in high school when ironically he played in LeBron James’ camp, where Irving put on an absolute show.
“My first eyes on Kyrie as a hooper, I saw him play in Springfield, Massachusetts,” Strickland told me last summer on the Scoop B Radio Podcast.
“I mean in a competitive setting, he was at St. Pats, and then I saw him at the LeBron James camp. And once I saw him at the LeBron James camp, I mean he was ridiculous. I saw the right hand, the left hand, all the layups and how he maneuvered.
“He made passes, but he was such a gifted scorer and ball-handler that he could put the ball in the hole. But I knew he was special right away. There are some things that everybody’s not doing, so when I see somebody play with both hands, the way he was playing with it in high school, that’s special. You don’t see that a lot.”
A native of West Orange, NJ, a stones throw from the skyline of New York City, Irving did grow up liking the then-New Jersey Nets when they ran the NBA’s Eastern Conference during the days of Jason Kidd, Kenyon Martin and Richard Jefferson.
He was a fan of Kidd.
“Not many people have that niche and that feel for the game,” Kyrie Irving told me after Kidd was hired as the Brooklyn Nets’ head coach in 2013.
“Watching him play was a pleasure.”
That Nets team that made back to back trips to the NBA Finals in 2002 and 2003 was coached by Byron Scott who lived in Livingston, NJ; a neighboring town to West Orange, during his Nets coaching tenure.
Scott would later coach Irving earlier in his career with the Cavaliers.
Million Dollar Question: Is there a snowball’s chance in heaven that Irving would join the Brooklyn Nets?
“I don’t see what the appeal is for him to go to Brooklyn, which has lesser talent.” Ric Bucher told me on the Scoop B Radio Podcast.
“I mean, I think they’re maximizing what they have, it’s impressive that they’re doing what they’re doing. But I see far more big picture potential with Boston. The other thing that people seem to overlook is that guys, by and large, don’t want to go home. Because when you go home, everybody expects you from kindergarten on that you’re going to take care of them and you’re going to get them tickets and you’re going to show up for their events. And like, when it’s a plane ride away, it’s a lot easier to keep everybody at bay and not complicate your life, or even if you’re willing to do all that, now you’ve just put a whole other thing on your plate. So I know as many guys who have said, ‘yeah, I don’t, I love where I’m from and I love going home in the summer, but being there year-round, playing there? Man, that’s a weight that I do not want to carry.”