Kyrie Irving became the hottest topic in the NBA news realm once again Friday.
Irving, who’s no stranger to headlines for controversial reasons, found himself in a familiar place when reports revealed his trade request from the Brooklyn Nets amid his fourth season with the team.
The Nets, who as of Saturday are well-positioned in the Eastern Conference at 31-20, extended a contract offer to Irving to retain him for a multi-year span. However, negotiations went south when the 30-year-old refused to comply with contract stipulations the Nets had set, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania.
Now, with Irving’s future once again reaching uncertainty, one NBA reporter revealed what it could take for the Miami Heat to land the slick ball-handling guard ahead of the Feb. 9 trade deadline. HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto suggested the Nets would require Miami to swap one of its three key players.
Here’s what Scotto wrote Saturday:
The Nets would be interested in Bam Adebayo, Jimmy Butler or Tyler Herro coming to Brooklyn in a potential Irving trade. Miami would prefer to move off Kyle Lowry, who’s owed $29.7 million next.
While Pat Riley has never shied away from a talented but controversial player, it’s hard logistically to see how Miami can acquire Irving.
Like Brooklyn, Miami also is in the fight for playoff contention in the East. They’ve had the upper hand in recent years just three seasons removed from an NBA Finals appearance, therefore, dealing them Irving could backfire in the short term. As for their chances, the Heat are +275 — second-best among teams — to acquire Irving, according to PointsBet.
Before the season started, Irving opted into his player option worth over $36 million. And with the All-Star becoming an unrestricted free agent in 2023, suitors will need to consider the long-term investment.
