3 trades to get Kyrie Irving onto the Knicks
By Scott Rogust
A report indicates that Kyrie Irving could be on the outs with the Brooklyn Nets, and the New York Knicks are listed as potential suitors. Here are three prospective trades to get a deal done.
Back in the summer of 2019, the Brooklyn Nets seemingly solidified themselves as NBA Championship favorites after signing Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. That has not come to fruition, as the team has a first round exit and a run as far as the Eastern Conference Semifinals when the super team was at full strength.
Now, a report from The Athletic’s Shams Charania indicated that Irving and the Nets were at an impasse and it could result in the guard hitting the open market this offseason. Out of potential suitors, the New York Knicks were listed as a team of interest.
The Knicks have long been in need of a star point guard, and on paper Irving would fill the void easily. The issue is that Irving has shown that he is unable to stay on the court for a full season. He was limited to just 29 games last year after refusing to get the COVID-19 vaccine, which prevented him from playing home games.
But with the Knicks, getting a star like Irving could be too good to pass up on. The thing is, what would it take for the Nets to trade Irving across town to Madison Square Garden? Here are three prospective trades.
3. Draft package that includes the No. 11 pick
Perhaps the easiest way to entice the Nets to trade Irving to the Knicks is to give them a draft capital. Let’s face it, Brooklyn will want to get some sort of return for the guard instead of watching him opt out of his contract and walk for nothing.
The Knicks have the draft capital to get something done, and it must include the No. 11 overall pick in this year’s NBA Draft. There has been a ton of talk about teams trying to move up to the No. 4 spot by way of a trade with the Sacramento Kings.
That could be the move for the Nets. They can use the draft assets they acquired from the Knicks to move up in the draft to get one of the top point guard prospects in the class.