After a tumultuous season, Kyrie Irving could part ways with the Brooklyn Nets. Contract talks with the franchise reportedly have stalled, and the uncertainty around his future sparked rumors of a potential departure of Kevin Durant as well.
On Thursday, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported that Irving has a list of teams he would like to join in case he fails to reach an agreement with the Nets. "If Kyrie Irving can’t reach an agreement to stay with Brooklyn, he has a list of teams he’d like them to consider on sign-and-trades, including Lakers, Clippers, Knicks, Heat, Mavs and 76ers," Woj tweeted.
However, he warned that none of those teams have enough cap space to land him right now. On top of that, Woj said that only the Los Angeles Lakers would be seriously interested in Irving.
NBA Trade Rumors: Lakers are the only team where Kyrie Irving would be seen as priority
"I think the one team with the most interest in Kyrie Irving are the Lakers. There's really not a sign-and-trade scenario with Brooklyn that makes sense," Woj said on Get Up!, via Fadeaway World. "Of course, if the Lakers want to offer Anthony Davis in a sign-and-trade, the Nets will do that, but that's not going to happen. And so if you're Kyrie Irving, you wait to get to the Lakers, opt-out of your contract next week and sign a $6 million exemption that the Lakers will have available. The difference with that and the Nets and his opt-in with the Nets is $30 million...
"That list, in terms of teams like Dallas, Philadelphia, the Clippers, I don't think there's interest there. The Knicks, they have some priorities well ahead of Kyrie Irving, Jalen Brunson. For Dallas, they are trying to clear cap space to sign a free agent that's not Kyrie Irving right now."
While Irving's talent is undeniable, some teams may prefer not to gamble on him after a controversial season. But the Lakers come from such a terrible year that they would rather see the bright side of having a player of his caliber.
