USA Today via Reuters
February 18, 2018; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Team LeBron forwards LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers (23) and Kevin Durant (35) of the Golden State Warriors react before the 2018 NBA All Star Game at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
USA Today via Reuters
February 18, 2018; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Team LeBron forwards LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers (23) and Kevin Durant (35) of the Golden State Warriors react before the 2018 NBA All Star Game at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving have been a huge part of the Brooklyn Nets’ title aspirations. Their failures have shocked and amazed fans all over. Last season’s loss to the Bucks was excusable. The young Boston Celtics team swept Kevin Durant and company in the first round in 2022. The criticism of the duo has been endless since then. They both have taken radically different approaches to it. But as of now, the Nets project has been officially broken.
.@WindhorstESPN says the Lakers could make a play for both Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant 🤯
"It has been floated to me. … That the Lakers would potentially have a package that you could trade for both of them." pic.twitter.com/vpp7uXc3Ku
— ESPN (@espn) June 30, 2022
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A few days after Kyrie Irving exercised his player option, Kevin Durant asked the Brooklyn Nets for a trade. NBA expert Brian Windhorst thinks both players are headed for the exit. Many teams are mainly interested in Durant. Kyrie Irving has only received active interest from a few teams, one of them is the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers?are?attempting?to?sign?Irving,?Durant,?or?both?of?them?at?the?same?time if the option is available.?
Windhorst said that they are trying to create a package that can fit both of them. But will that package include Russell Westbrook is the next big question? The Lakers have been shopping him around recently to acquire Kyrie. Unfortunately for them, the Nets rejected it.
Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving’s possible destinations
Irving allegedly wanted to reunite with LeBron James before exercising his $36.5 million player option for the 2022?23 season. Nets would probably want future first-round selections from the Lakers since they haven’t been ready to include them in prior agreements.? It looks like Los Angeles wants to keep the draft picks because that will ensure that their team rebuilds properly when James leaves.
Moreover, James will be a free agent next summer. He has said that he is interested in joining the team which drafts his son, Bronny James. Hence, the championship window for the Lakers is coming to a close very soon.
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Durant has interest from many teams. The main ones are the Phoenix Suns and the Miami Heat. Some have stated that the Toronto Raptors and the Memphis Grizzlies are in the race too.
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It will be an interesting offseason where ever these guys end up. Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving leaving together is just poetry. They came together in 2019 and after three years; they are leaving too.
