Kyrie Irving is the man of the hour so to speak, the trade rumors around the Brooklyn Nets star continue to increase by the day as the 30-year-old has not settled his contract situation with the Nets. Irving is the subject of trade talks with the Lakers, Knicks, Clippers, Heat, Mavericks, and Philadelphia 76ers.
At the NBA Draft where the Clippers took Moussa Diabate as the 43rd pick in an uneventful draft for the Los Angeles team, President Lawrence Frank took some questions from the media ahead of next season. It was the first time since 2014 that the Clippers did not trade during the draft.
Lawrence Frank indirectly answered the question regarding the rumored move of Kyrie Irving to Los Angeles, here is what the Clippers president had to say.
Lawrence Frank on Kyrie Irving trade rumors
Lawrence Frank did not say Irving’s name specifically but made reference to wanting to have players “everyday” and “committed” to the Clippers project. “Yeah, I think you look at it all. And you start first with the question: How does this player’s skill sets with the group? Does it enhance the group? Does it help connect the group? Is it a young, emerging player that may have a pathway to play? Is it a veteran who provides a skill set that maybe we need? Is it a player that has unbelievable basketball character, and yet has great self-awareness and knows where they are at, at their stage?” Frank started out by stating.
Lawrence Frank (LA Times)
“So, in terms of basketball leadership it is very, very important to understand the basketball character of the player. So, basketball character may be a little bit different than what you hear of in terms of character. Like basketball character is, like, can you be counted on every single day to do what you do at the highest level, and are you — how committed are you though those habits… The bond that you form with your teammates, like that’s part of basketball character. Like, can you be the same teammate when things are going bad for you as well as when things are going good for you?”
By reading into the statement made by Frank it would be shocking if the Clippers make a move for Irving considering how much time the player missed last season due to not being vaccinated with COVID-19 and the issues that caused the Nets internally.
The Clippers on the other hand have a core group of players that if healthy and, maybe, one piece away could challenge for the NBA title. Irving, while talented, would command a big chunk of the salary cap and a recent history of injuries and time missed.
