Fansided

Ranking all of Bill Simmons’ Kyrie Irving trade ideas

By Joe Romano

CLEVELAND, OH - FEBRUARY 25: Dwyane Wade #3 of the Chicago Bulls and Kyrie Irving #2 of the Cleveland Cavaliers talk during the first half at Quicken Loans Arena on February 25, 2017 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OH - FEBRUARY 25: Dwyane Wade #3 of the Chicago Bulls and Kyrie Irving #2 of the Cleveland Cavaliers talk during the first half at Quicken Loans Arena on February 25, 2017 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
4 of 6
Next

3. Shake up the entire league!

Cleveland Cavaliers get: Bradley Beal, Cole Aldrich, Tyus Jones, future top-3 protected pick

Minnesota Timberwolves get: Kyrie Irving, Kay Felder

Washington Wizards get: DeMarcus Cousins, E’Twaun Moore

New Orleans Pelicans get: Marcin Gortat, Andrew Wiggins, Channing Frye

This is a four-team monster that would shake up the league

Wow this is a lot to digest. The best way would be to go team-by-team.

Lets start with Cleveland. The Cavaliers get a young two-guard to pair with LeBron and a young back-up point guard, while giving up Kyrie Irving and some cap filler. Beal is a perfect two-guard for LeBron.  He can guard multiple positions, and is a dead-eye shooter. End of game lineups of Beal, LeBron, Kevin Love, J.R. Smith, and Tristan Thompson could give opponents fits on offense while providing excellent spacing for LeBron/Thompson pick-and-rolls.

Minnesota makes a move here to shake-up the young talent on it’s roster while acquiring a star that wants to play there. It would be the final piece to the Wolves fantastic offseason. Adding friends and All-Stars Jimmy Butler and Kyrie Irving in the same offseason at the cost of Zach LaVine, Kris Dunn and Andrew Wiggins would signal a new era for the Timberwolves. The trio of Butler, Irving and Karl-Anthony Towns might jump to the top of the league’s most promising young cores.

Washington would pull the trigger on this deal if they believed Wall and Beal’s relationship was going south. Signs have been there that the two guards do not enjoy playing together. Wall and Cousins go back to college and have given interviews hinting at wanting to play together again.  What a combo those two could be in the pick-and-roll and in the open court.

New Orleans would admit that the Boogie/Brow combination did not work and have to do a quick 180 on the trade for them to make this deal. Acquiring Andrew Wiggins for Cousins allows Davis to play center some. Getting Gortat in the deal keeps that amount of center play for Davis to a minimum and only when necessary. The Pelicans would most likely miss the playoffs with the Wiggins/Davis pairing but would have two former number-1 picks entering their prime to build around going forward.

Home/Cleveland Cavaliers