After Kevin Durant set the NBA world ablaze by requesting a trade out of Brooklyn, reports have revealed that two more teams alongside LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers are on the lookout for Kyrie Irving. The 30-year-old star surprised the NBA community by opting in his $36.9 million player option before the June 29 deadline. However, many teams still smell blood in the water, including LeBron James and the Lakers.
An imminent reunion between Kyrie Irving and LeBron James seemed pretty probable after the 6’2″ guard posted pictures of his trip to LA on his Instagram. The pictures included a selfie with a LeBron James graffiti. But the Nets star astonished everyone by choosing his player option for the 2022-23 season.
Teams on the lookout for Kyrie
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Meanwhile, some NBA teams have still not abandoned hopes of signing Kyrie Irving. The Philadelphia 76ers and the Dallas Mavericks are still trying to land Kyrie to their team, recent reports suggest.
“Kyrie Irving has several suitors involved Lakers, Sixers & Mavericks, keep an eye out in the next couple of weeks…” per Shams Charania 👀#MFFL pic.twitter.com/N90PHVtNCL
— Kevin Gray Jr. (@KevinGraySports) July 3, 2022
As a matter of fact, the Sixers landed their last big star from a trade with Brooklyn after James Harden decided to leave the Nets. But after Harden’s subpar showing in the playoffs, Philly could be looking to reverse the trade. A crafty guard like Irving could really be a good second option for Joel Embiid.
On the other hand, the Dallas Mavericks are also interested in the 7-time All-Star. With Jalen Brunson leaving the roster, Luka Doncic could use some help in the team. In fact, the inclusion of Irving to the Mavericks would instantly make them legitimate title contenders.
Moreover, Dallas has no state tax obligations. Therefore, it’s an attractive destination for a lot of players with hefty contracts.
A potential reunion between LeBron James and Kyrie Irving
A potential reunion of the 2016 world champions LeBron James and Kyrie Irving is still on the cards. The Lakers have been trying to solve the Russell Westbrook puzzle for a long time now. Kyrie Irving could be the key to the problem.
In other words, Russell Westbrook would be a nice fit for Brooklyn at the moment. With KD leaving, Westbrook is a nice candidate to build around while simultaneously staying afloat as a playoff contender.
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Brooklyn Nets maintain discussions have only been preliminary at this point, sources say. https://t.co/nKKTFGiMj2
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) July 3, 2022
Moreover, Kyrie has the ability to be effective without the ball. As a result, LeBron James would be able to freely command his role as the floor general.
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Where do you think Kyrie Irving would end up before the season starts? Comment below.