The Brooklyn Nets may have their headaches behind them with both Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant deciding to stick with the team, but there’s still a sense that both of them could flip a switch at any time.
In the case of Irving, he’s only under contract for another season and with his latest Instagram posts, there’s a possibility the Nets could just decide to give up on him and send him somewhere else.
Irving the basketball player is somebody who is highly coveted and would instantly help any team. It’s no secret the Los Angeles Lakers wanted him on their roster, but he ultimately decided to stick with the Nets.
An NBA executive speaking to Heavy.com’s Sean Deveney floats an unlikely possibility, but something that could at least be considered, and it’s the New York Knicks acquiring Irving from the Nets.
Kyrie to the Knicks?
Irving and Durant both considered joining the Knicks when they hit free agency together, but the two of them ultimately decided to the join the Nets.
Since then, they’ve seen more success than the Knicks have, but it’s really not by much. Last season, the two teams won the same amount of playoff games, which is just a bizarre stat when comparing the two rosters.
An Eastern Conference general manager suggests a swap between the two teams could end up being beneficial.
“The Nets have spent so much time trying to separate themselves from the Knicks that you wonder if the two teams would be willing to make a major trade but if the Nets are getting the sense that they’re going to lose Kyrie Irving, sending him to the Knicks makes some sense,” the GM told Deveney.
It’s tough to lose Irving considering how tied he was to Durant, but at this point it could be beneficial for both sides if they just call it a day and move on.
Knicks Could Hang Onto Irving
Irving has always been an unpredictable player as it seems like the only person who knows his plans is him. With one year on his deal, he’s largely viewed as a rental option, and that could limit any potential deals for him. In the case of the Knicks, he might be one of the teams that could convince him to stay.
“The Knicks would have a chance to re-sign him — that’s one of the big fears about dealing for Irving, that he is not going to stick around after the season, he is a rental player,” the GM continued. “But if you send out Evan Fournier and Derrick Rose and a pick, the Nets would have to consider that. It’s not much but if they are not sure Irving will be back, they might not do much better.”
On the Knicks roster, Fournier and Julius Randle look like likely options to be moved, but there’s nobody knocking at the team’s door to acquire them.
For the Nets, landing Fournier would be a big addition as it’d give them more shooting, and they’d also get a steady backup in Derrick Rose in this hypothetical deal.
This isn’t a bad trade proposal for either of the teams, and it’s something both sides would have to consider. The Knicks would finally land that star talent, and the Nets would add some more depth without the distractions Irving has brought them over the years.
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Proposed Trade Would See Nets Ship Kyrie Irving to Knicks