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The Brooklyn Nets are without Kyrie Irving this season until he decides to get the COVID-19 vaccine, which means they have a superstar sitting out the season.
The Nets started off slow without him, but they are slowly getting into a groove led by the likes of James Harden and Kevin Durant, and there are still some upgrades that can be made that would make a title run much more likely.
With Irving completely healthy, he can provide a lot of value for another team, but thanks to New York City’s COVID restrictions, he’s not able to play in home games for the Nets, so he’s just sitting out the whole season as a result.
A trade would allow him to start playing ball again and it would also let the Nets get pieces back in return that would be able to help them this season.
One such trade would see the Nets get back a young center in exchange for Irving along with a few other pieces.
Irving to the Pacers?
Getty ImagesKyrie Irving of the Nets dribbles as Marcus Smart of the Celtics defends.
In a Bleacher Report trade proposal, the idea of sending Irving to the Indiana Pacers is floated.
This hypothetical trade would send Irving to Indiana in exchange for Myles Turner, Jeremy Lamb and a 2023 first-round pick. On paper, it’d suit both teams as the Pacers would get a superstar talent and the Nets would get players who can contribute right away.
With Nic Claxton still getting right, Blake Griffin and LaMarcus Aldridge are manning the center position. At this stage in their careers, neither of them are particularly known for their defense, and Griffin is having a very rough start to the year.
Turner would presumably slot right in as a starter on the Nets and he could provide valuable defense at the position. Shooters are very important in today’s NBA, and Lamb can provide a lot of that, when he’s able to stay healthy of course.
A 2023 first round pick would be nice, but that wouldn’t be anything that would pan out for the Nets for a few more years now, but getting something back for Irving would be better than nothing.
The Pacers would get a star player to pair with Domantas Sabonis, somebody who has really blossomed with the Pacers. That duo alone should be enough for the Pacers to compete for a spot in the playoffs, but they likely wouldn’t find themselves going much further.
Would the Nets Consider This?
GettyBrooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving looks on from the bench during a playoff bout with the Milwaukee Bucks.
Bleacher Report does call this a lowball trade and it’s likely the Nets would be able to get a much better haul for a player of Irving’s talent, but with the way his tenure ended in Cleveland, Boston and now potentially Brooklyn, he might not be worth the trouble of hanging onto.
With Durant and Harden both on the wrong sides of 30, the championship window might be closing a bit sooner than expected, so maximizing the roster for each year they are in Brooklyn is vital.
The Nets are reportedly getting calls about Irving, so they will definitely have a decision to make if Irving truly does plan on sitting out the whole season.
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