3. Brooklyn blows it all up
Another rumor that’s been picking up steam in recent days is the Los Angeles Lakers’ pursuit of Kyrie Irving in an attempt to reunite the start guard with fellow 2016 champion LeBron James. This provides an opportunity for the Nets to wrap both deals into one and proceed with a promising new-look lineup.
Surprisingly, reports indicate that the two sides have already “actively engaged” in talks for a Kyrie-Westbrook-centric swap. The Bulls just might be able to pour enough fuel on the fire to get things done on this front.
By making this trade, the Nets get to wash their hands of the dramatic Irving saga. While losing two players of this caliber may seem like a catastrophic loss, Brooklyn would begin a retooling phase here with two borderline All-NBA players in LaVine and Ben Simmons. With Nic Claxton recently re-signed and Joe Harris finally managing to stay healthy, that’s not too bad of a starting lineup.
Of course, we’re ignoring the elephant in the room here in the form of Russell Westbrook. I believe this could be a case of addition by subtraction, however, as Kyrie’s antics clearly did more harm than good to Brooklyn’s culture. While still unlikely, I believe it’s far easier to believe that Westbrook can get back to the player he was in Washington than it is hoping Kyrie doesn’t create any further issues.
With just one year left on his contract, the Nets could also just work towards a buyout with Westbrook if things came to that, but I think there’s still a chance he surprises people with how much he has left in the tank when put in a new environment.
The Nets would of course be compensated heavily for this trade, receiving a combined five first-round picks as well as every first-round pick swap and second-rounder they want. Both the Bulls and Lakers should be incentivized to do whatever it takes to make this deal work, seeing as this trade would make both teams genuine championship contenders.
Chicago essentially directly upgrades last year’s roster by replacing LaVine with Durant here. Since Williams was injured most of the year and Terry was not on the team yet, the same Bulls that held the top seed in the East at the start of the year would return with a true superstar in tow.
I wouldn’t say this is the most likely scenario, but it would be extremely fun to witness. Even more so if the Bulls and Lakers met in the Finals and gave Kyrie and Durant a chance to duke things out.