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- After the latest reports, Kyrie Irving won’t be with the Brooklyn Nets for much longer.
- The Los Angeles Lakers have emerged as the most legitimate option for the talented guard.
- However, a significant concern could hinder a LeBron James-Kyrie Irving reunion.
The Brooklyn Nets are going to look a lot different next season. Or so it seems.
The latest reports regarding Kyrie Irving state that he won’t return to Brooklyn next season, and that likely means that Kevin Durant won’t be back with the team either.
On a busy Monday, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN added another layer to the Irving chatter by acknowledging the Los Angeles Lakers as the most serious option of all the teams Irving would be interested in.
ESPN Sources: Outside of the Lakers, there are currently no known teams planning pursuit of sign-and-trades for Nets G Kyrie Irving. No sign-and-trades can be formally discussed until after 6 PM on Thursday. Brooklyn isn't believed to have interest in available Lakers packages.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 27, 2022
The Lakers, in theory, wouldn’t even need to trade for him if he does indeed opt out, although they wouldn’t be able to offer Irving that much cash.
If Irving declines his $36M player option, he would be eligible to sign with the Lakers for the $6M exception. Deadline is Wednesday to decide on option.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 27, 2022
That’s good news for the Lakers, right? Well, not so fast.
There’s A Major Concern For The Nets Regarding A Potential Kyrie Irving Trade
Now, if Irving does opt-in, that would make things a bit more difficult for the Lakers. As Woj states in his first Tweet above, Brooklyn reportedly isn’t interested in the Lakers’ potential packages.
So, that would make it even more difficult for the Lakers to navigate a potential sign-and-trade, assuming Irving opts in to his option with the Nets. After all, why wouldn’t he?
And another wrinkle, there aren’t any other teams interested in a potential sign-and-trade for Irving. To sum it all up, if Irving opts in, then the Nets — as it stands right now — only have the Lakers as a serious option, and that would more than likely mean taking on Russell Westbrook or finding a third team to grab the Lakers point guard.
Get ready; NBA free agency will — once again — be a wild frenzy of activity.