Getty Kyrie Irving is back in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons.
The Brooklyn Nets have gotten off to a tough start to the season and currently find themselves a 4-6.
With Kyrie Irving being suspended, things aren’t going to be much easier for them going forward and it could be beneficial for them to make some moves in an effort the salvage the season just 10 games in.
When on the court, both Irving and Kevin Durant look like they’re at the top of their respective games, but it hasn’t resulted in winning basketball as of yet.
A fresh start for Irving might be what’s needed for all sides, and Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz suggests a trade with the Utah Jazz.
The Jazz have gotten off to a surprisingly fast start, but they aren’t expected to be a team that competes for a championship, so dealing more veterans at the trade deadline could be something they look into. Swartz floats the idea of the Nets landing Mike Conley Jr.
Conley Swapped for Irving
Something the Nets can use is stability at point guard, and the past several years have essentially proven that Irving will not be the way to achieve that.
They have Ben Simmons now, but if the team wants a bit more scoring at the position, they will likely have to look elsewhere for a trade.
Enter: the Jazz.
Swartz suggests trading Irving and Day’Ron Sharpe for Kelly Olynyk and Mike Conley Jr., a move that would give the Nets more depth at big man while also giving the Nets a point guard in return.
Interestingly enough, he believes the trade makes sense for Utah if they don’t want to play him at all.
“The Jazz should absolutely want Irving, just not for his play on the court,” he wrote. “Irving wouldn’t even report to Utah in this trade, as the Jazz would simply hold onto him as a potential trade chip to flip to a desperate team at the trade deadline.”
Irving, despite the numerous off-court issues he brings, is one of the absolutely best players in the league and could tremendously help a team when he plays. With Utah not looking at winning a championship this year, having a piece like that to trade when it comes down to it could be beneficial.
“If no trade ultimately comes to fruition, Utah should still value Irving’s expiring $36.9 million contract as a way to shed salary next summer,” he continued. “Swapping Conley and Olynyk for Irving and Sharpe could save the Jazz as much as $32.4 million in 2023. Sharpe, 21, would give Utah another potential building block for its rebuild.”
Nets Get the “Anti-Irving”
For a team looking for stability, Conley could be a perfect option, provided the Jazz are willing to take on Irving.
“The veteran point guard is as reliable as they come, has never faced any off-court issues and has been beloved both with the Memphis Grizzlies and in Utah,” Swartz wrote. “He’s averaging 11.9 points, 7.4 assists and is shooting 41.2 percent from three this season and would bring some much-needed stability to Brooklyn.”
At 35 years old, Conley is certainly closer to the end of his career than he is to the beginning, but he can still help the Nets. He’s shooting well from deep and is playmaking at a good rate. Playing alongside Durant will help him out, and he won’t be asked to do as much as he’s currently doing with Utah.
Conley is definitely a downgrade from Irving skill-wise, but having somebody reliable could be exactly what the Nets are looking for.