"Does the organization, Jeanie Buss have the courage, forget Westbrook, to move off Anthony Davis?" - Colin Cowherd claims a Kyrie Irving-Anthony Davis swap could work out perfectly for both their teams
Kyrie Irving once more made headlines when reports surfaced that he could enter free agency after his talks with the Brooklyn Nets stalled. The LA Lakers are supposedly interested in pursuing a trade with the Nets for one of NBA history’s most skilled players.
While it has been Russell Westbrook’s name that has come up if a trade happens, Colin Cowherd thinks Anthony Davis is who Brooklyn would prefer.
On his podcast, the veteran sports analyst weighed in on rumors of Irving’s potential value to the Lakers. Here's what he had to say:
"Does Rob Pelinka, does the organization, Jeanie Buss have the courage, forget Westbrook, to move off Anthony Davis?
"What do the Lakers have that the Knicks and Clippers don’t? A star to give you back. AD would be the best player … Lakers can give you exactly what Brooklyn Nets need to make the deal work."
Cowherd further explained his thoughts on how AD could sway the Brooklyn Nets to trade Kyrie Irving:
"A star with a big contract who defends and has size in the East. If you wanna win the East, you’re gonna have to get through Robert Williams, Bam Adebayo, Giannis, Joel Embiid.
"You can’t ask Kevin Durant to play 42 minutes to guard Giannis. You can’t do that, it’s not fair to Kevin Durant."
In the Brooklyn Nets’ first-round exit against the Boston Celtics, Kevin Durant specifically mentioned Boston’s size as a factor his team couldn’t overcome. He pointed out that Marcus Smart, at 6’4, was the smallest player on the Celtics, while they had length and size through 1-5.
Kevin Durant on why the Celtics defense has been effective: "I just think they've got more size than us. Marcus Smart is the smallest guy in the lineup, and he's 6'4."
During that series, Brooklyn sorely lacked rim protection. All the Nets had to offer against the Celtics' athleticism and drives to the basket were Blake Griffin, Nic Claxton and Andre Drummond. Having Anthony Davis in the lineup immediately solves their size and defense issues.
Blake Griffin is making an impact in his first minutes of the series. 💪
(📽️: @BrooklynNets)
https://t.co/ekA7H2tjaX
The Brooklyn Nets will surely miss Kyrie Irving, but their mercurial point guard hasn’t been much of a presence for the team.
KD and Irving have played a total of 44 games, which was highlighted by one playoff series win against the Boston Celtics last year.
Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis could change the future of their teams when available
Whether they remain on their respective teams or swap NBA cities, Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis are almost irreplaceable for the Brooklyn Nets and LA Lakers.
The last time AD was healthy for a big chunk of the season, the Lakers immediately won a championship. He’s only played in a total of 76 games over the last two years.
The LA Lakers were first-round casualties in the playoffs last year and didn’t even make it to the play-in this season.
@DawkinsMTAAnthony Davis dominating the 2020 NBA Finals on both ends 😤
In terms of his ability when healthy? This is arguably a top five PF to ever play the game when speaking attributes, defense, skill and versatility. All about strength training for him this summer.
🎥 @DawkinsMTA https://t.co/inizthY1V2
Kyrie Irving’s issues are far more complicated. He’s been injury-prone, refused to take the vaccine and left the Brooklyn Nets without any notice a few years back to “cool off.”
GM Sean Marks has played hardball in contract talks as the Nets reportedly don’t want to offer Irving a long-term deal.
"When it comes to a lengthy contract ... it's not just about your abilities. It's about your availability and your willingness to be available to capitulate and participate in the best interest of TEAM."
—@stephenasmith on Brooklyn's hesitancy on extending Kyrie Irving contract. https://t.co/AplrbGPhiX
The Brooklyn Nets simply can’t trust “Uncle Drew” to hold up his end of the bargain. The Nets haven’t won anything yet with the seven-time All-Star, but if he’s healthy, engaged and has KD, they could surprise the entire NBA.