Where In The World Will Kyrie End Up?
So, Kyrie Irving doesn’t want to play for the Cavs anymore, but what teams are actually realistic options for him?
Oh the drama the NBA offseason brings!
But in case you somehow haven’t heard, Kyrie Irving wants to leave Cleveland. One reason why? A man named LeBron James.
Kyrie wants to be the center of attention elsewhere, which is understandable — he’s a superstar who wants to prove himself on his own team. But the big question here is what team would give him that opportunity? For Irving, there are four that stick out.
Some of this really doesn’t add up. How could Kyrie be “the man” in Minnesota when they are already have a core of Karl Anthony-Towns, Jimmy Butler, and yes, Andrew Wiggins? And what could Miami include in a deal that makes Cleveland say “yes, let’s do this”?
So here is my list of the five teams that would make the most intriguing trade destinations for Kyrie Irving; the types of deals that would make Kyrie a star (not that he isn’t already) and simultaneously make Cleveland better for the future. My list includes two of the teams listed in the tweet above, along with three other teams that could be interesting landing spots/trade partners.
Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers, owners of the last two №2 picks in Brandon Ingram and Lonzo Ball, could most definitely ship a pair of young players to Cleveland that probably couldn’t be topped if they have their eyes set on the future. Add in the fact that Kyrie Irving brings that star power that Magic Johnson wants in L.A., a move here really does make sense.
But of course, there’s a huge problem here: What the hell happens if LeBron, a player that Kyrie specifically doesn’t want to play with anymore, strongly considers L.A. next offseason?
Plus, do the Lakers really want to consider moving both Ingram and Ball in one move? Especially Ball, who Magic Johnson seems to believe could end up being a great point guard in the future.
New York Knicks
In terms of a 1-for-1 deal, the Knicks would be the most likely destination.
Carmelo Anthony wants to leave New York and one of the places where he would be open to go and play for is Cleveland. Also, Kyrie is from New Jersey, so geographically it works out perfectly.
So here is what would happen in my eyes: Carmelo would be shipped to Cleveland where he would be the “second” guy behind LeBron, some nights possibly the “third” guy behind both LeBron and Kevin Love (assuming that Love stays in Cleveland if this deal were to happen). Kyrie would be sent to New York where he could blossom to be the star that he wants to be underneath the bright lights while forming a 1–2 punch with Kristaps Porzingis.
Just think about it for a second, I think I’m onto something here…
Phoenix Suns
The Suns are the biggest wild card in regards to something like this. They’re a team with a few very good young assets and they have a point guard in Eric Bledsoe that could replace Kyrie back in Cleveland without any issue, if he stays healthy. Kyrie Irving would undoubtedly be a star in the desert, while a combination of either Eric Bledsoe, Josh Jackson, Marquese Chriss, and draft picks would be sent to Cleveland.
The only hang-up for Phoenix here is if they can or cannot get this deal done on their own. Would they be able to send a huge package to Cleveland for Kyrie, or would they be better off sitting back in an effort to develop these young players?
Blowing up your entire core and getting rid of Bledsoe is a lot for just one player, so keeping that core together I feel would be the right move.
San Antonio Spurs
Kyrie has reportedly said that the Spurs are a preferred destination for him. For pure Western Conference arms race purposes, this would be by far the most fun and entertaining landing spot.
Imagine the fantastic duo that would form between Kyrie and Kawhi. That duo alone would most definitely shrink the gap between both San Antonio and Golden State.
The biggest downside here is that a third team would have to be involved to make a deal work. Outside of Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge, their roster is primarily filled with players who have thrived in the Spurs’ system. They could definitely deal Aldridge, sure, but San Antonio’s front court probably couldn’t sustain a huge loss like that. A deal could include guys like Danny Green, Kyle Anderson, and DeJounte Murray, along with a haul of future draft picks.
Boston Celtics
It would be beyond stunning to see Cleveland make a move that could seriously strengthen their biggest rival in the East, but because Kyrie is a big name player who could be on the move, the Celtics have to be included in the mix.
Boston could throw together a package of first round picks, young players, and maybe even a guy like Isaiah Thomas who has only one more year left on his contract. But is a deal that involves Cleveland getting some weird combination in Thomas, Crowder, and one of Jaylen Brown/Jayson Tatum, and a whole bunch of picks enough? Would Boston really want to do something like this in the first place?
The Celtics would probably be better suited to wait for someone else to hit the market than to unload the entire farm for Kyrie.
