NBA Trade Rumors: Latest Buzz Surrounding Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and More
The Brooklyn Nets long loomed as one of the most interesting teams to watch during the 2022-23 NBA season.
It turns out, they'll be plenty intriguing to track over the summer, too.
Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving came to Brooklyn together in 2019. Whether one or both remain there any longer is "very much up in the air," as ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski recently put it.
With two superstars potentially on the market, the rumor mill is predictably bursting at the seams. Let's examine the latest rumblings.
Still Optimism That Irving, Nets Find Common Ground
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Irving holds a player option for next season, but both he and the Nets seem interested in negotiating a longer contract.
The length of that contract, however, is the holdup, with Irving "looking for a longer guaranteed deal and the team preferring a shorter one," per Brian Lewis of the New York Post.
While the clock is ticking to get something done—Irving must decide on his player option by June 29—the two sides "are still believed to be seeking common ground to keep him in Brooklyn," per Lewis.
With injuries and personal decisions limiting Irving to just 103 games the past three seasons combined, Brooklyn's hesitance to extend a lengthy offer is understandable. Still, Irving has some leverage here, both from the threat he exits for nothing and the possibility his departure could have Durant, his close friend, also wanting out.
Durant Hasn't Informed Nets He'll Seek Trade If Irving Leaves
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Since Durant and Irving previously decided to align their fates together, it's tempting to assume that remains the case.
While that's possibly true, the Nets haven't been told by Durant that it is.
"I'm told that Kevin Durant has not told the Nets that if Kyrie Irving
leaves, that means he's going to ask for a trade," Wojnarowski
reported. "What Kevin Durant wants to know … what would a reconfigured
Nets team look like? How would they try to reshape the roster so that
the Nets would be able to return in the near-term and have a
championship contender?"
Irving's decision on his player option looms large here. If he opts in and requests a trade, at least the Nets will get some assets back—though, good luck accurately gauging Irving's value on the trade market. Should he opt out and walk in free agency, however, this gets instantly dicey for Brooklyn, as the only other notable name on the roster is Ben Simmons, who never suited up last season.
Cam Reddish a Summer Trade Candidate
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The New York Knicks' front office and coaching staff seemingly had different views of swingman Cam Reddish this past season. The franchise parted with a protected first-round pick to land him in January, then the coaches waited weeks before deeming him worthy of regular minutes, which didn't last long as he suffered a season-ending shoulder injury shortly thereafter.
It sounds as if the front office has perhaps lowered its interest in the 22-year-old.
The Knicks could trade Reddish to clear more cap space this summer and included him in a trade offer for new Detroit Pistons guard Jaden Ivey on draft night, per HoopsHype's Michael Scotto.
Reddish's rookie deal expires after next season, so if the Knicks aren't certain he is part of their long-term plans, then shopping him might make sense. It's hard to tell how much trade value he'll actually have, though, as he's just a 38.7 percent shooter who has averaged more turnovers (1.4) than assists (1.3) in his career.
