6 ideal landing spots after Kyrie Irving’s trade request, including Los Angeles Lakers

By Andrew Buller-Russ

·Updated: February 4, 2023

This year’s NBA trade deadline could end up bringing a surprise blockbuster, much like last year’s James Harden-Ben Simmons swap that quickly developed in the final hour. Now that Kyrie Irving has requested a trade from the Brooklyn Nets, the All-NBA point guard could be the next superstar basketball player headed to a new destination.

As the Feb. 9 NBA trade deadline draws near, if an Irving trade happens, it will have to be completed quickly. With that in mind, here are just a few ideal trade scenarios for Kyrie Irving.

Minnesota Timberwolves swap DLo for Irving

Minnesota Timberwolves get: Kyrie Irving
Brooklyn Nets get: D’Angelo Russell, Naz Reid, Wendell Moore Jr., 2023 second-round pick (via NYK)

Both the Nets and Timberwolves are in similar situations when it comes to their point guards. Each starter, Irving and Russell, is set for free agency, and coming to terms on a contract extension hasn’t worked out. Both are undeniably starting-caliber players, with Russell a one-time All-Star and Irving much more accomplished as an NBA Champion and three-time All-NBA player.

We also have two teams currently projected to make the playoffs, and in Minnesota’s case, they have limited resources available to try and secure a long-term point guard solution, yet for whatever reason, they haven’t seen eye to eye with DLo on his contract value.

After struggling to begin the season, Russell has picked up the slack since Karl-Anthony Towns’ injury and is now averaging new career highs both from the field and from distance. He’s far from getting back to his one-time All-Star form (which he achieved in Brooklyn), but Russell is showing he still has value as a 26-year-old scoring guard.

Naz Reid has quietly become a force, both on the perimeter and in the paint. Averaging just under a block per game, Reid offers more rim protection than you would expect from a 6-foot-9 center, but his real value lies in his ability to score, in which he’s had four games with 20 or more points despite averaging just 18 minutes per game. Reid’s pending free agency lowers his value a bit, but if the Nets like him long-term, there could be a fit here.

Wendell Moore, the 26th overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, hasn’t seen much action as a rookie, averaging just 5.6 minutes per game, but the 21-year-old wing could be a valuable part of the rotation in the future, providing more than just one year of value.

If Irving is deadset on moving on, and if the Wolves don’t feel confident in their ability to retain Russell, then these two could be ideal trade partners.

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New Orleans Pelicans make blockbuster trade for Irving

New Orleans Pelicans get: Kyrie Irving
Brooklyn Nets get: Devonte’ Graham, Kira Lewis Jr., Jaxson Hayes, Garrett Temple, Willy Hernangomez, 2023 first-round pick (via LAL), 2024 first-round pick (lottery protected)

When healthy, the New Orleans Pelicans have shown a trio of Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, and C.J. McCollum can be one of the most dangerous threats out of the Western Conference. Could you imagine if they added yet another All-Star to that potent bunch of talent?

The Pels have plenty of draft capital to part with should they decide to make an all-in push, and while Jose Alvarado’s continued development has been incredible, he’s unlikely to become a starter. C.J. McCollum is an effective scorer, but Irving’s ability to distribute the ball is much more ideal for a lineup full of stars.

For the Nets, they would be loading up on hope. Hope that Devonte’ Graham can return to top form after averaging 18.2 points per game as a sophomore. Maybe they can also get a bit more out of Kira Lewis Jr., the 13th pick of the 2020 NBA Draft, who has shown incredible quickness but little else.

More so, the Nets would be recouping some of the lost draft capital they’ve traded over the years, and the Lakers’ 2023 first-round pick could go either way at this point. Combined, both picks would start injecting youth into Brooklyn’s roster again. If the Nets want future draft compensation, the Pelicans may be their best bet.

Los Angeles Clippers form All-Star trio

Los Angeles Clippers get: Kyrie Irving
Brooklyn Nets get: Terance Mann, Norman Powell, Reggie Jackson, 2028 first-round pick

Similar to a few other situations found on this list, the LA Clippers already have a star duo with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, yet they may also have the ammo to add more to their talented core. They’ve rotated through a number of point guards over the years, but a long-term solution has yet to be found.

With Reggie Jackson set for free agency, the Clippers’ need for a floor general could quickly grow. In this scenario, the Clips get ahead of the problem by landing a seven-time All-Star. With Irving, Leonard, and George, there may not be a better scoring trio in basketball, yet each of these players also has a really high basketball IQ.

It’s hard not to get excited about this possibility from the Clippers’ perspective, but securing Irving long-term would be the biggest key, as it would be for any team that acquires the star guard.

For Brooklyn, they’d be receiving three immediate contributors, including Mann, who could very well develop into a star with the Nets. Yet, Powell and Jackson are both high-level options either off the bench or as plug-and-play starters in the interim. The Clippers don’t have much else to offer by way of draft picks, so the Nets would have to be enamored with the players included in the deal.

Phoenix Suns pair Irving with Devin Booker

Phoenix Suns get: Kyrie Irving
Brooklyn Nets get: Chris Paul, Jae Crowder, 2023 first-round pick

Finally, Jae Crowder gets a new home. That’s what this trade is all about. While that’s obviously not the case, his salary works out as the perfect addition to make up the difference between Chris Paul’s $28.4 million contract and Irving’s $36.9 million. Yet the big difference is that Paul is 37 years old and will still be getting another $30.8 million next season too.

While Paul’s experience is invaluable, his on-court play has begun to slip, where he’s averaging a career-low 14.1 points per game. Yet, he’s still one of the better floor generals in basketball, dishing out 8.5 assists per game, and is just a year removed from leading the NBA at 10.8 per contest.

Paul’s diminishing athleticism won’t impact his ability to shoot, and he’s actually averaging a near career-best 40.4% from three this season. Both he and Crowder could immediately give the Nets more perimeter shooting while also being battle-tested in the playoffs for their inevitable postseason appearance. The 2023 first-round pick is simply a cherry on top, representing both the difference in value between Irving’s play and Paul’s while also taking into effect the latter’s large salary for the 2024 season.

Dallas Mavericks reduce Luka Doncic’s workload with Irving addition

Dallas Mavericks get: Kyrie Irving
Brooklyn Nets get: Spencer Dinwiddie, Christian Wood, 2025 first-round pick

Luka Doncic is one of the very best players in basketball, but it’s become fairly obvious that unless or until the Dallas Mavericks get him some help, they won’t be able to reach the NBA Finals. While the team is fairly cap-strapped and locked into its core, the only player that should be deemed untradeable is Doncic.

That means Dinwiddie, although he’s had his great moments in Dallas, could be headed back to Brooklyn, where he averaged a career-high 20.6 points per game back in 2020. Wood was also brought to Dallas with the hopes he could be another scorer capable of taking some attention away from Doncic, and he’s done his part, but with Wood on the final year of his contract, it may be time to see how other teams value the skilled big man.

If the Mavericks could manage to bring a big-time star such as Irving to Dallas, they might actually be able to go from being a fringe playoff competitor to a legit NBA Finals contender with one singular deal.

With both Irving and Doncic available to break down defenses, it could drastically reduce the Slovenian star’s workload, which can hopefully keep him healthier down the stretch. Once the playoffs arrive, Doncic can learn from Irving’s 74 games of playoff experience and maybe even create some magical moments in the Finals as we’ve seen from this next duo.

Los Angeles Lakers reunite Kyrie Irving and LeBron James

Los Angeles Lakers get: Kyrie Irving, Markieff Morris
Brooklyn Nets get: Russell Westbrook, 2026 and 2028 first-round picks

Naturally, if Irving is on the trade block, we have to mention LeBron James and the Lakers. Irving’s greatest years came with LBJ by his side when they won an NBA title in Cleveland back in the 2015-16 season. They spent just one more year together before Irving went to Boston, and James departed to the Lakers the following season.

Having already won a ring together, it’s hard not to imagine the two not thinking about their past success and wondering if they can’t do it again.

Not only have they proven to work well together on the court, but James has also long been an advocate of Irving off the court. Irving has has his fair share of moments in the past, causing many to wonder what his true trade value is and how many teammates he’d rub the wrong way, but with King James as the locker room leader, it’s safe to say there wouldn’t be any issues in Los Angeles.

The Nets likely don’t view the Lakers as an ideal trade partner, not unless they’re thrilled with reuniting Kevin Durant and Westbrook at his $47 million rate for the rest of the year, and the two first-round picks don’t pay out for a few seasons, but for Irving, landing in LA with LBJ? There may be no better fit.