NBA trade rumors: 3 potential teams for Kyrie Irving after unexpected trade request

Teams that could trade for Kyrie Irving: Miami Heat Los Angeles Lakers

This storyline was here before the season. It got shut down at some point, but now it’s absolutely going to be reinvigorated. LeBron James was clamoring for the front office to trade for Irving, but the Nets weren’t very interested.

Now, though, what choice do they have? The Lakers front office hasn’t made moves for players like Myles Turner or Buddy Hield on the Pacers (and after Turner’s extension, they won’t) because they didn’t want to give up more of their draft picks for those players.

Will they want to spend their last remaining first-round picks of the decade on Irving, though? Remember, they’re only guaranteed to have his services for the year. And they’re not guaranteed a drama-free rest of the year. With heightened expectations in LA, it’s a breeding ground for hurt feelings and contentious outcomes.

Perhaps LA can get Irving for cheaper, though. A trade request pulls a lot of leverage away from Brooklyn, who was previously holding onto him at a high price.

At 25-28, the Lakers are 12th in the Western Conference, and LeBron’s clock is ticking down. If the Lakers want to win another title in his era, they need to move on a big move at the deadline. Whether or not that move involves Irving remains to be seen.