What started as a small rumor that felt like a minute possibility surrounding Kyrie Irving and the Lakers has blossomed into something much bigger and a far greater reality.
Initially, a report in late June linked Kyrie Irving to the Lakers in free agency and served as the first rumblings of trouble in the waters in Brooklyn. Irving himself turned everything on its head by going from a passing bystander to an active participant in finding a new team this offseason.
After flirting with the idea of joining the Lakers via the taxpayer mid-level exception — something that never really felt realistic — Irving made the shocking decision to not take a $30 million pay cut and opted into the final year of his contract, seemingly putting an end to the possibility this season.
But days later, Kevin Durant made a trade request and shook the NBA landscape. With him no longer committed to the franchise, Irving became an available player once more and the Lakers are not only pouncing, they’re reportedly the only team interested.
Now, the two sides are locked in negotiations trying to figure out how to finalize a deal for Irving. While the center of the trade will be a swap of Irving and Russell Westbrook, the ancillary pieces from either side are the main topic of discussion, ranging from players included by the Nets to draft assets included by the Lakers.
The negotiating tactics are underway, ranging from the Lakers reportedly not being “aggressive” to the Nets claiming they may not trade either of Irving or Durant.
With the news updating on a daily basis, here’s a place to track the latest updates on Kyrie, the Nets, the Lakers and their ongoing trade discussions.
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