Getty Kyrie Irving moves the ball up the court.
The Brooklyn Nets are stuck in a rough spot this offseason as their current roster seems built to win a championship, but there’s no telling if it’ll even remain intact by the time the season rolls around.
Superstar forward Kevin Durant has requested a trade, and while the Nets seem like they are doing their due diligence and trying to get a big haul in return, others feel like the team is trying to keep him thanks to the big asking price for the star.
“Right now, I think the Nets want to run this team back, and they’re hoping Kevin Durant agrees,” ESPN analyst Brian Windhorst said.
As for Kyrie Irving, it’s known the Los Angeles Lakers have interest in him, but that they might not have the right pieces to acquire him. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported the Lakers are willing to include their 2027 and 2029 first-round draft picks in a trade, but the hangup is Russell Westbrook.
The Nets don’t seem to have any interest in bringing him on, even if it is just for a season, and unless the Lakers find a way to counter, it looks like the Irving deal is dead in the water.
However, Lakers star LeBron James is adamant behind the scenes that the team needs to trade for Irving. This was his thinking before signing the massive two-year, $97.1 million extension, but he likely still has hopes of winning another championship before retirement.
ESPN’s Dave McMenamin reports James is aware this process to drag out past the offseason, and an Irving trade, or any other one for that matter, could happen all the way up to the Trade Deadline.
Irving Trade Could Happen
“[LeBron James] recognizes that it could lead up all the way to the trade deadline before that type of deal could occur.”
– Dave McMenamin on the Lakers improving their roster via potential Kyrie Irving, Buddy Hield/Myles Turner, or Utah trades.
With talks between the Nets and Lakers seemingly going nowhere, the two sides could decide to end things and pick them up at a later time. For the Nets, they are hoping their stars stick together and run it back in Brooklyn.
Los Angeles is hoping Brooklyn concedes and ships away Irving, and James is ready to wait it out.
“He recognizes that it could lead up all the way to the trade deadline before that type of deal could occur,” McMenamin reported.
While it might not seem like a trade is incoming, there’s still a lot that can change between now and then. The Trade Deadline is a very active time in the NBA, and the Lakers didn’t make any moves last season as they slipped further out of contention and missed the playoffs entirely.
What Do the Nets Have Planned?
Irving seems like he’s locked in with the Nets and wants to play for them next season.
“I think Kyrie is invested in being a Brooklyn Net next year,” Windhorst said on the August 18 episode of ESPN’s Get Up! “Obviously there was some turmoil with his contract extension not happening. He realizes his best path moving forward to get the contract he wants in Brooklyn or elsewhere is to have a very good season.”
The Nets will just have to make sure Kevin Durant gets on board as well.
READ NEXT: Nets ‘Win Now’ Asking Price in Kyrie Irving Trade Revealed