3 teams that could sign Kyrie Irving this offseason after failed Mavs experiment
By Lior Lampert
1. Phoenix Suns
Even after giving up major pieces and draft capital to trade for Kevin Durant, the Suns may not be done making moves. In fact, Durant’s arrival makes the Suns’ pitch to Kyrie Irving that much more interesting.
While the duo was not able to make it work in Brooklyn, they may still have an interest in playing together. When Kevin Durant initially requested a trade this past summer, reports had surfaced that both players wanted to continue playing together, just not in Brooklyn.
While the idea of the two reuniting sounds nice in theory, it may be tough to execute in practice.
Kyrie Irving wants a maximum extension
The Lakers have reportedly removed themselves from the race for Kyrie Irving after seeing the success of their new-look roster after this year’s NBA Trade Deadline, making Phoenix a very real and enticing option for Irving.
The Suns’ new owner, Mat Ishbia, showed that he is not afraid to spend big if it means bringing a championship to Phoenix when he decided to acquire Kevin Durant via trade.
They can trade Chris Paul and/or Deandre Ayton this offseason to create additional cap space to offer Kyrie Irving the contract he is looking for.
The questions the Suns must ask themselves before pursuing Kyrie Irving are: was Brooklyn the problem for Kevin Durant/Kyrie Irving? Is Devin Booker better suited than James Harden to play alongside the duo?
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