Proposed Blockbuster 4-Team Trade Sends Kyrie Irving To The Lakers And Bradley Beal To The Nets

The Brooklyn Nets face a tough decision in the final week before the trade deadline. Instead of searching the market for rotational players they could acquire for bargain prices, the Nets have to spend this week figuring out where All-Star starter point guard Kyrie Irving may end up via trade. 

There are lots of potential suitors for Kyrie, but no package sufficiently helps the Nets keep their contention window for this season alive. It is impossible to replace Irving’s production on the open market, but is there any way the Nets can find a star-level player to come into the team? A 4-team trade with the Lakers, Hawks, and Wizards might be the key.

Los Angeles Lakers Receive: Kyrie Irving, Joe Harris

Brooklyn Nets Receive: Bradley Beal, John Collins, Justin Holiday

Washington Wizards Receive: Russell Westbrook, 2027 First-Round Pick (LAL), 2029 First-Round Pick (LAL)

Atlanta Hawks Receive: Ben Simmons, 2023 First-Round Pick (PHI)

This trade allows Kyrie to end up where he wants while also allowing the Wizards to get off Bradley Beal’s incredible contract by sending him to an extremely appealing destination in Brooklyn to play alongside Kevin Durant. This would also instantly be the only time Beal has been on an actual contender.

The Nets can also add frontcourt depth in John Collins by giving up a first-rounder and sending the Ben Simmons rehabilitation project to the Hawks, where his play style may actually fit with a high-volume scorer like Trae Young. But what are the precise benefits each team gets from participating in this trade?

The Washington Wizards Finally Embrace The Rebuild

The Washington Wizards have refused to tear their team down and trade players like Bradley Beal even when it was obvious he isn’t the kind of player to be a number-one option on a contender. With the Wizards already securing the future of their franchise star, it’s time they cash in before it looks like they’re straddled with a horrible contract they can’t move off in coming years. Taking Russell Westbrook for half a season and letting him rebuild his value on a team he has been on and trusts while taking the 2 extremely valuable Laker picks would be a massive win for the franchise.

The Wizards can further trade more players on their roster for possible future assets. They’ve expressed their interest in re-signing Kyle Kuzma, though the player may not share the same long-term vision. 

It’s unclear whether Kuzma shares a desire to keep the partnership going long-term. Stein added that the “belief persists in various corners of the NBA map that Kuzma would prefer to relocate in the offseason but perhaps that is wishful thinking from teams that covet him.” (h/t Bleacher Report)

Instead of possibly losing Kuzma in the summer, they should be looking to move on right now and get a pick for him. Maybe the Suns are still willing to trade for him with the promise of an extension? The Wizards don’t look like a team that can challenge for the title in their current form and should use Kyrie Irving’s trade request to set their franchise up for the future.

Atlanta Adds Defense And Manages To Get A Pick For John Collins 

The John Collins trade saga has been hard to watch. We go through possible Collins’ trades every season for the Hawks not to move him. However, this might be the perfect way to get something of actual value for a player that most of the league has shown isn’t good enough to bring back draft assets to the Hawks. Ben Simmons’ contract and inconsistent availability have made him an unattractive trade asset, but Collins’s value isn’t high either.

The Nets can give up the pick that they received from Philadelphia in the James Harden trade, which is guaranteed to be a late first-round pick in 2023 with Philly’s success. Simmons fits better in Atlanta than he was in Brooklyn and could really have some strong showings in a 2-man game with either Hawks’ guard, Dejounte Murray or Young. This might be the best trade the Hawks can get at the moment, with no teams having expressed the willingness to give up tangible future assets for Collins. Simmons may be in a worse position with his health concerns, so giving up a low-value first-round pick shouldn’t hurt the Nets while appeasing the Hawks. 

Kyrie Irving Gets His Wish Of Becoming A Laker

All the reporting from the last few days indicates that Irving’s trade request was linked to the Lakers’ abandoning plans to have cap space next summer. Trading for Rui Hachimura essentially killed their cap space plans in the summer, meaning a trade is the only way he can end up on a contending team. Even if the Lakers aren’t sold on what Irving brings to the team, there’s no doubt that getting him would make the team actual contenders for a title this season itself. Extending him allows the Lakers to keep star players on the squad even when they don’t have the salary space to make moves for elite players in the offseason.

Acquiring Hachimura essentially removed that free agency possibility since the Lakers cut into their future projected cap space. Once that happened, Irving could get max money or close to it one of two ways: an extension with Brooklyn or trade to the Lakers or another team who’d acquire his Bird Rights with the expectation of a new long-term contract. (h/t HoopsHype)

The Lakers have repeatedly said they’ll trade their picks for a superstar-level player that can win them a title. The opportunity is finally upon them. Even if Joe Harris’ contract is also being sent to LA, he would fit like a glove on the Lakers due to his size and shooting ability. Kyrie adding the guaranteed offensive spark as the point guard will allow the rest of the team to function better within their roles. No Western Conference team except them is strengthened in this trade either, which should be a massive incentive for the Lakers as well. 

The Nets Ensure They Have Another Tremendous Co-Star Alongside Kevin Durant

There is no trade scenario that can get the Nets a star-level player for Irving. The best offer they’re likely to get is Spencer Dinwiddie and Dorian Finney-Smith from the Dallas Mavericks. While they are solid players, they don’t come close to replicating what Irving brought to the table for the Nets. Instead of accepting the low price for Irving, if the Nets can convince them to give them Bradley Beal for assets they receive from LA, it’ll be a no-brainer trade for them to execute.

Giving up Simmons and a late first-round pick from this season for Collins is also a move that definitely helps them out at the moment. The Nets can make offense their identity with Nicolas Claxton marshaling the paint as a DPOY-level rim protector. Collins brings offensive versatility to the Nets, while Beal is arguably one of the best scorers of this generation. Coupled with Kevin Durant returning soon, the Nets could have one of the best offenses in the NBA. With a solid defensive scheme in place under coach Jacques Vaughn, this might be the only realistic path for the Nets to prove to KD that they still have a title-winning core in place to maximize him on the contract he is on.  

We sincerely appreciate and respect you as a reader of our site. It would help us a lot if you follow us on Google News because of the latest update.

Thanks for following us. We really appreciate your support.

Next

The 4 Best Trade Packages For Kyrie Irving

Proposed 4-Team Blockbuster Trade Sends Fred VanVleet To Clippers, John Collins To Pelicans

Proposed 3-Team Blockbuster Trade Sends 3 Players To The Los Angeles Lakers

2023 NBA Trade Deadline: 4 Teams Leading The OG Anunoby Sweepstakes

A Blockbuster 4-Team Trade Idea That Sends Chris Paul To The Los Angeles Lakers