The Nets are hesitant to take on Russell Westbrook‘s contract in a potential Kyrie Irving trade, and if they do so, they want something big in return.
While the sides have been talking, they seem to be far apart on a deal at the moment.
According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the Nets do not desire to trade Irving before Kevin Durant, and once they get to that point, they won’t accept a Kyrie/Russell Westbrook swap with the Lakers unless they receive a first-round pick in the deal.
“League sources maintain that the Nets are A) focused on trying to assemble a palatable Kevin Durant trade before proceeding to Irving scenarios and B) adamant in their resistance to taking back Westbrook in a theoretical Irving swap without, for starters, some first-round draft compensation added by the Lakers,” Stein reported.
In order for the Lakers to land Irving, and deal Westbrook, they may need to recruit a third team. The Spurs, who are in rebuild mode, have been mentioned as ne of those teams.
The Spurs have the cap space where they could take on Westbrook’s contract and presumably buy out his deal.
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“Kyrie Irving absolutely wants to be a Los Angeles Laker,” ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said. “This we know. The Lakers want Kyrie Irving. This we know. But making that happen, that’s a different story.
“We don’t really get a good feeling there’s any team seriously on the market for Kyrie right now beyond the Lakers. It’s doesn’t mean they don’t like him or value him, they just don’t want to pay a potential price the Nets are asking. This is one of those things where we just have to wait and see.”
Irving opted in to the final year of his contract, making a return to Brooklyn appear as if it were all set. However, days later, Durant would demand a trade.
