Favorites to land Nets All-Star – NBC Los Angeles
Kyrie in Chicago? Bulls among favorites to land Nets All-Star originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
The NBA trade deadline has just become a lot more interesting.
Kyrie Irving sent shockwaves through the league on Friday by seemingly asking for a trade from the Brooklyn Nets. Irving reportedly informed the Nets that he would leave in the next free agency period if he was not dealt with by Thursday’s deadline.
The astonishing trade request reportedly came after the Nets offered Irving an extension that was not well received by the eight-time All-Star. Now Irving wouldn’t even accept a full max contract if he offered one from Brooklyn.
Brooklyn has the sixth-best record in the NBA and could pick up Kevin Durant before the All-Star break. But now a franchise that seems unable to escape the drama suddenly finds itself in another predicament – a year after James Harden forced his way out of town and months after Durant tried (and failed) to make likewise.
So if the Nets decide to end the Irving experiment before the deadline, where could the 30-year-old end up?
Who is preferred to trade for Kyrie Irving?
Unsurprisingly, the Los Angeles Lakers are the favorites to be Irving’s next team at +125, according to our partner, PointsBet. Irving has been linked to former teammate LeBron James and Co. since last summer, when the point guard reportedly had “great interest” in joining the Lakers before ultimately opting for his player option.
James fueled Irving-to-LA speculation on Friday with a cryptic tweet.
Is Irving the player the Lakers are finally cashing in their two future first-round picks for? James sure hopes so.
The Miami Heat have the second best odds behind the Lakers at +275. Although the Heat have been playing better lately, they are still not on par with the Eastern elite. But what about a trade package including Kyle Lowry and Tyler Herro to give Miami a Big Three of Irving, Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo? Whenever a star is available, Pat Riley cannot be ruled out.
The Dallas Mavericks have the third best odds to land Irving at +375. Luka Doncic is having an incredible season, but Dallas only has a few games over .500. The Mavs desperately need a running mate for Doncic and Irving would immediately become the best player he’s ever played with. The Mavericks have also been linked to Irving before, as they and the Lakers would have are part of the teams expected to explore a potential profession. Like the Lakers, a trade to Dallas would likely center on future draft compensation.
The Los Angeles Clippers (+400) and Chicago Bulls (+700) complete the top five favorites. The Clippers appear to be looking for a point guard and have a slew of quality players, from Norman Powell to Terance Mann and Luke Kennard, that they could offer Brooklyn. Los Angeles finally seems to be getting things on the right track, and Irving would definitely give them a boost at point guard.
The Bulls, meanwhile, may have the best player to offer the Nets among potential suitors. In the midst of an extremely disappointing season in Chicago, the five-year, $215 million extension Zach LaVine got last summer suddenly doesn’t look so good. If Chicago wants to shake things up, could a LaVine for Irving trade (plus pick) be an option?
Here’s a full rundown of the favorites to be Irving’s next team:
Los Angeles Lakers: +125
Miami Heat: +275
Dallas Mavericks: +375
Los Angeles Clippers: +400
Chicago Bulls: +700
Atlanta Hawks: +10000
Utah Jazz: +10000
Editor’s note: All odds are provided by our partner PointsBet. PointsBet is our official sports betting partner and we may receive compensation if you place a bet on PointsBet for the first time after clicking on our links.
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