Obviously, an injury to Kevin Durant and Irving’s reluctance to get the COVID vaccine hurt the team, but regardless, their (almost) fully healthy team was swept in the first round. Even without Ben Simmons, that’s not a great way to go out.
So, if Brooklyn does decide to deal Irving this summer, what are three trades they could pull of in order to help Kevin Durant bring home the organization’s first championship?
Pairing Irving’s shot creation alongside DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic wouldn’t solve any of their defensive issues, but it would make their offense even better.
Meanwhile, the Nets would essentially be trading out a superstar for a two-time All-Star who would be a great secondary scorer alongside Durant.
The Nets would save themselves from committing to Irving long-term by netting a 27-year-old star who could help Durant on a more consistent basis than Irving has been able to.
Brooklyn Nets just wrapped up an extremely disappointing season. If it weren’t for the <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/06/09/nba-trades-kyrie-irving-brooklyn-nets-2/"https://hoopshabit.com/western-conference/los-angeles-lakers/">Los Angeles</a> Lakers, it would likely be regarded as the worst season in the NBA (in comparison to expectations).</p>
<p>Obviously, an injury to Kevin Durant and Irving’s reluctance to get the COVID vaccine hurt the team, but regardless, their (almost) fully healthy team was swept in the first round. Even without Ben Simmons, that’s not a great way to go out.</p>
<p>Now, reports have surfaced from <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/06/09/nba-trades-kyrie-irving-brooklyn-nets-2/"https://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/nets/ny-20220524-hfug5wiemzcalocthifea7p7p4-story.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kristian Winfield of the New York Daily News</a> that the Nets are completely unwilling to give Irving a long-term contract. In turn, they could explore sign-and-trade options.</p>
<p>So, if Brooklyn does decide to deal Irving this summer, what are three trades they could pull of in order to help Kevin Durant bring home the organization’s first championship?</p>
<h2>NBA Trades: 3 Kyrie Irving trades to help the Brooklyn Nets: Chicago Bulls</h2>
<p><strong>Nets receive:</strong> Zach LaVine</p>
<p><strong>Bulls receive:</strong> Kyrie Irving</p>
<p>With rumors circling that Zach LaVine may not end up back in <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/06/09/nba-trades-kyrie-irving-brooklyn-nets-2/"https://hoopshabit.com/eastern-conference/chicago-bulls/">Chicago next year, if the Bulls managed to complete a sign-and-trade where they got back Irving, it’d be a solid return.</p>
<p>Pairing Irving’s shot creation alongside DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic wouldn’t solve any of their defensive issues, but it would make their offense even better.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, the Nets would essentially be trading out a superstar for a two-time All-Star who would be a great secondary scorer alongside Durant.</p>
<p>The Nets would save themselves from committing to Irving long-term by netting a 27-year-old star who could help Durant on a more consistent basis than Irving has been able to.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/06/09/nba-trades-kyrie-irving-brooklyn-nets-2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Trade #2 </a>
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<img class="wp-image-439162 size-full" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/06/09/nba-trades-kyrie-irving-brooklyn-nets-2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2134,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1300052443.jpeg" alt="NBA Trades, Kyrie Irving, Brooklyn Nets, Kevin Durant" width="3200" height="2134" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1300052443.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1300052443-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">NEW YORK, NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 02: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the LA Clippers dribbles against Kyrie Irving #11 of the Brooklyn Nets during the first half at Barclays Center on February 02, 2021 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City, NBA Trades: 3 Kyrie Irving trades to help the Brooklyn Nets. 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 Sarah Stier/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>NBA Trades: 3 Kyrie Irving trades to help the Brooklyn Nets: LA Clippers</h2>
<p><strong>Nets receive:</strong> Norman Powell, Reggie Jackson, Marcus Morris, 2027 First-Round Pick</p>
<p><strong>Clippers receive:</strong> Kyrie Irving</p>
<p>Depth is an underrated necessity in today’s NBA. However, the <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/06/09/nba-trades-kyrie-irving-brooklyn-nets-2/"https://hoopshabit.com/western-conference/la-clippers/">LA Clippers have plenty, and sacrificing a portion of it to get the point guard they’ve been craving could be worth it.</p>
<p>LA has been searching for a point guard to pair alongside their two stars for a while now and adding Irving’s shot creation and playmaking would make them a title favorite.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, the Nets would be loading up on depth to pair alongside Durant and Simmons. This deal would give them plenty of that, as they’d be adding three hard-nosed players who can score with the best of them.</p>
<p>The Clippers have supposedly been listening to deals for Morris anyway, to including him in a deal to bring back Irving should be a no-brainer. He’d provide the Nets with a huge scoring boost, as well as bring his constant intensity.</p>
<p>Powell would be a great tertiary scoring option behind Durant and whoever steps up into the secondary role. If he worked his way into the offense enough, he could even take on that responsibility.</p>
<p>Lastly, Jackson spent some time with Durant in OKC, so the connection is there. He’d be a great sixth man for the Nets to bring off the bench and close some games with.</p>
<p>Brooklyn could present a starting lineup of Simmons, Powell, Durant, Morris, and Nicolas Claxton while bringing Jackson, Curry, Mills, Harris, and others off the bench.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/06/09/nba-trades-kyrie-irving-brooklyn-nets-2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Trade #3 </a>
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Dallas Mavericks. Well, Kyrie Irving would fill that role while simultaneously being the best player Doncic has ever played with.</p>
<p>Putting Irving on the Mavs would take a ton of pressure off of Doncic, allowing both players to thrive on that end of the court. Dallas would have to figure things out on the defensive end, but that could be figured out in other deals.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, this trade would help put an amazing supporting cast around Kevin Durant. As we’ve seen in recent years, as important as it it to have stars still, depth is almost just as important.</p>
<p>Brooklyn doesn’t have the best cast around its stars at the moment, and this trade would give them three quality pieces to play alongside Durant and Ben Simmons next year.</p>
<p>Jalen Brunson is expected to get a big-time payday, and while he’s nowhere close to Irving’s level, he could be a borderline All-Star at his peak, and starting alongside Durant would help that.</p>
<p>Dorian Finney-Smith is the perfect role player to pair Durant with, and it honestly may be a big ask for Dallas to give him up. He’s the quintessential 3&D guy and would be great in Brooklyn.</p>
<p>Lastly, Maxi Kleber isn’t a starting-caliber big man, but he’d be a solid backup behind Nicolas Claxton who would provide the Nets with some shooting off the bench.</p>
<p>Brooklyn could roll out a starting lineup of Simmons, Brunson, Durant, Finney-Smith, and Claxton, while bringing Seth Curry, Kleber, Patty Mills, and Joe Harris off the bench. (And they could even run Simmons at center.)</p>
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