“There will be more teams likely who will call, who can potentially trump the Lakers’ position” - NBA analyst says the Kyrie Irving sweepstakes could be more explosive than the Kevin Durant sweepstakes
Many are wondering what Kevin Durant's requested for a trade from the Brooklyn Nets could mean for Kyrie Irving's future with the team.
After Irving's wish list of sign-and-trade destinations went nowhere, the point guard announced he would opt in to his player option for next season. That created speculation that both Kyrie and Durant would return to Brooklyn for another year.
After the recent Durant news broke, Irving could be on the way out as well. Plenty of connections have tied Irving to a potential reunion with LeBron James, if the LA Lakers are able to pull off a trade. On ESPN, NBA analyst Brian Windhorst suggested that the sweepstakes for Irving could be more "explosive" than the jockeying for Durant.
“There will be more teams likely who will call, who can potentially trump the Lakers’ position,” Windhorst said.
Kyrie Irving potentially on the move after the Kevin Durant news
On the cusp of free agency on Thursday, a number of players were expected to change teams. It now looks as if the offseason has turned into overdrive, as both Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving could find themselves playing for new teams next year.
After joining forces with the Brooklyn Nets in 2019, Irving and Durant formed one of the league's most dangerous duos. But the duo never generated consistent momentum towards an NBA championship. That pairing seems to be coming to a close, at least in Brooklyn. Both Durant and Irving will most likely leave New York City in the near future.
“I think it’s likely that not only Kevin Durant — but also Kyrie Irving — has played his last game with Brooklyn.”
- @wojespn
(h/t @Alec_Sturm ) https://t.co/eSpF41BBYN
Irving found himself in and out of the lineup last year after refusing to receive the COVID-19 vaccination. Irving has missed a large number of games over the last three seasons (playing only 103 of 226 games in the regular season) and could have a tricky trade market. There will be plenty of teams that make calls, however.
The 30-year-old should have plenty of shelf life left, however.
Durant, who turns 34 in September, hasn't been a picture of health. He missed all of 2019-20 due to an Achilles tendon injury. He played just 35 of 72 games in 2020-21, with a hamstring injury being an issue. He played 55 of 82 games last season, mostly because of a knee injury.