Latest Kevin Durant rumors might accelerate Lakers trade for Kyrie Irving
By Jason Reed
The biggest story surrounding the Los Angeles Lakers this offseason is a potential Kyrie Irving trade. While all signs were pointing to the deal being inevitable, optimism that the trade will happen has waned as time has passed.
Brooklyn also has to figure out what the trade market is for Kevin Durant and the team has, rightfully, prioritized that over trading Kyrie. Irving won’t be traded until KD is traded and it does not seem like the market is as plentiful as the Nets were hoping for.
However, a new potential suitor has entered the fray that could help accelerate an Irving trade for the Los Angeles Lakers. According to Sam Amico of Hoops Wire, the Washington Wizards are a team that could make a huge push for Durant this summer.
Washington re-signed Bradley Beal this offseason to a new contract extension and would also offer Durant a homecoming to the Nation’s Capital. They might not be the best team available for Durant to go to, but it would allow him to play at home and he would still have a superstar teammate.
It is certainly one of the more intriguing possible trade destinations for Durant and there is a package that the two sides could work out.
The Los Angeles Lakers should hope the Washington Wizards offer this trade for Kevin Durant:
Admittedly, three first-round picks and a first-round pick swap is not that great of draft compensation for one of the best players in the league but we have to gauge the current market. There obviously is not as much interest for Durant as expected, likely because of his age and injury history, so this very well could be the best offer.
Plus, the Nets have to be realistic with the situation and with who they are trading for. While a team like the Miami Heat might be able to trade more overall picks, those picks have a far better chance of being bad because the Heat are a well-run organization.
The Wizards are not a well-run organization and these first-round picks have a lot of value as a result. Brooklyn would be getting unprotected firsts in 2025, 2027 and 2029 as well as a pick swap in 2028. With how old Durant is and how quickly players move on, there is a chance that all three of those picks are high lottery picks.
Plus, Brooklyn gets players in return they can flip for more assets in the future. Kyle Kuzma is an asset with a nice contract and Porzingis played well last year. The shorter his contract gets, the more likely Brooklyn can flip him. He has two years left under contract.
Washington is not good enough to win a title with their roster but how often do they actually have a chance to bring in a superstar? This is the definition of a desperation move and one that will probably burn the team in the long run but we see these trades all the time with bad franchises. That is why they are bad franchises.
As long as it helps the Lakers accelerate a trade for Kyrie Irving that is all that matters. Plus, a potential Russell Westbrook-Ben Simmons-Kristaps Porzingis big three would be incredibly interesting to watch.