Kyrie Irving Trade Rumors: Kyle Lowry Deal with Heat 'Not out of the Question'
July 14, 2022
Brooklyn Nets point guard Kyrie Irving doesn't appear to have that many teams pursuing him on the trade market, but an Eastern Conference contender could be interested in acquiring him.
NBA reporter Frank Isola responded to a tweet suggesting that the Miami Heat could pursue a one-for-one trade for Irving, saying that he has heard that a deal in exchange for veteran point guard Kyle Lowry is "not out of the question."
Irving reportedly indicated to the Nets that he no longer wishes to be with the team going forward, despite picking up his $36.9 million player option for the 2022-23 season. Brooklyn star forward Kevin Durant also reportedly submitted a trade request late in June, which turned the team's offseason upside down.
ESPN's Brian Windhorst reported on Wednesday that the Nets have a high asking price for both players, but there aren't many teams with the assets to acquire them. The Los Angeles Lakers are considered the most logical landing spot for Irving, but they have yet to put together a trade package that would entice Brooklyn.
"The market for Durant has not been as lucrative as the Nets were hoping, and the market for Kyrie is very thin. It's essentially the Lakers, and the trade offer isn't great," Windhorst said.
The Heat finished with the best record in the East last season at 53-29, and they did so with Lowry being limited to 63 games. The 36-year-old averaged just 13.4 points per game, his lowest since 2010-11. Lowry is set to make $28.3 million next season.
If the Heat were to acquire Irving, he would be a major upgrade at the point guard position. The seven-time All-Star averaged 27.4 points in 29 appearances for Brooklyn last season.