7:06pm: The Nets are characterizing trade talks with the Lakers as “preliminary,” Haynes tweets.
6:47pm: The Nets and Lakers are holding active discussions about a trade that would include Kyrie Irving and Russell Westbrook, writes Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports.
Haynes cites “palpable optimism” that a deal can be finalized, but sources tell him there are several details to be worked out.
The Nets want to include sharpshooting guard Joe Harris, who is owed $38.6MM over the next two years, according to Haynes. Harris is coming off left ankle surgery and was limited to 14 games this season.
The Lakers are reluctant to take on Harris’ contract and want the Nets to give up Seth Curry instead. Curry is also a proficient outside shooter and has an $8.5MM expiring contract.
Irving and Westbrook both picked up their player options this week, but the two sides have to figure out how to match salaries. Irving will make $36.5MM next season, while Westbrook is owed $47MM. The Nets are also seeking draft compensation in the deal.
Haynes notes that Brooklyn isn’t in a hurry to complete an Irving trade and is sifting through numerous offers for Kevin Durant at the same time.
aye
Lakers need to set the deadline at midnight
Knicks are always dark horse
They can offer a better package than Westbrook
Are the Nets going to upgrade the roster?
And how would the Lakers setting a deadline at midnight help anyone? The Lakers don’t have any leverage here and teams know it.
This makes absolutely no sense for the Nets. Compensation will be minimal and to do Flat Earth a favor is incredulous.
H8er
@MB81
I agree that Westbrook and lousy far away draft picks wouldn’t be much. Perhaps there’s zero interest from anyone else and the Nets are not inclined to use one of their pics to attach to get rid of him (Irving).
There certainly is not any interest from anyone else. That much has already been reported.
Also: the 27 & 29 Lakers 1st round picks actually have quite a bit of value. Not only as picks but as trade assets. I’m sure a lot of teams will be looking to bet against LA’s future.
I agree. Those firsts and Russ’s expiring deal–while potentially dumping Harris as well–is not a bad deal for Kyrie aka Half Man, Half A Season.
What a nightmare for the Nets. This has to be one of the worst results this experiment/plan could have produced.
Better or worse then KG and Paul pierce
Who else wants Kyrie at this point. No one is giving up anything of substance. Lakers are desperate.
Russ is an expiring deal. Sit him for the year and then they’ve got massive cap space
You have to get something out of the deal. No one else is willing to trade for Kyrie. Can’t let him walk for nothing
Also if you can get out of two years of Joe Harris that is a win in and of itself
No, it makes sense… The bridges are burned between the two. Nets don’t want him around, & they don’t want to pay him just to stay at home like Houston did with Wall last year. If they can unload Harris’ bad contract & pick up an asset or 2, then it’d be considered a win.
It’s a simple trade. Westbrook and Nunn or THT 2 firsts for Kyrie and Harris.
I think to make the $$$$ match if the Lakers trade Westbrick & THT plus 2 first round picks for
Kyrie , Harris & Seth
Maybe a pick swap or something, but adding THT or Nunn I think Curry would have to be in with Harris & Kyrie. Lakers are going to come out on top either way! Westbrick doesn’t fit at all! If LeBron , AD & Kyrie are healthy , their games compliment each other way better than with Westbrick, they are a contender & the best big 3 in the league
Any trade they make you tell the Lakers that they gotta take Harris bc that contract sucks.
Kyrie and Harris is already more than Westbrook and THT. Harris makes a ton. No need for Seth.
Only problem is, Harris had ankle surgery however, you make thus deal today
If the Lakers blow a deal to get Kyrie and Harris for Westbrook and THT than they are complete idiots. I can see them only giving up 1 draft pick but if they think that is not a good deal they need their head examined.
It’s the Nets that are reluctant, for obvious reasons.
RW costs $12 mil more than Kymie.
Lakers aren’t trading both there future picks. Nets might get one and that’s it. Nets really have no leverage nobody in the league wants to trade for kyrie
They could get rid of him by attaching picks if they need to.
I’d say most of the league has checked in on him already. It’s not a bad contract bc its expiring for one, and hes a premier talent albeit frustrating and bat poo crazy.
Like if Utah didn’t implode and they sent Conley and a pick for Kyrie, Utah is instantly better.
If you sent him to Dallas for THJ they’re better.
If you moved Ball and White and some more money Kyrie would make that squad better.
Talent is there, marbles and desire is the question.
Are they better if Kyrie doesn’t play? I think any team trading needs to think about it financially and not depend on KI actually playing.
They are better if Westbrook doesn’t play, so yea
They could or buy him out. Why give up picks
yea, everybody wants Westbrook
@curtis
And nobody, including the team he’s on, wants Westbrook. Any chance they have to unload Westbrook, get Irving and keep AD wouldn’t take more than 5 seconds to have the Lakers say yes to.
The Rockets future continues to get brighter.
They’ll do nicely next year, but the Nets will have an almost completely blank payroll once this off-season’s over, they play in NYC and are owned by one of the richest men on earth. They’ll be in the lottery for 2023 and that’s it.
Yes Nets are owned by big money, they’re also in one of the biggest markets. But that don’t keep you competitive.
To not be Lotto beyond 23 means they get a few superstars and top role players, they won’t have much trade capital from Kyrie trade. We’ll see what they get for KD. But from a logical POV I can’t see them being out of lottery for a few years. FA superstars aren’t gonna go there if they’re not competitive. And they won’t compete without a superstar, It’s a vicious circle. They need a good young player back from KD then we’ll know when they’ll be out of lotto.
You don’t understand the NBA then. This is NYC and a well run club (unlike the Knicks). Doesn’t matter if they aren’t competitive this coming year. All guys will care about is who they bring in with their $100m in salary cap room the following off-season, to go with the players they get in the KD trade.
Fans always overestimate how much players (in any sport) care how competitive their team is. It’s usually down the list after money, comfort level in the city, off-court stuff to do, spousal comfort, and probably one or two other things.
You cannot possibly claim that someone else doesn’t understand the NBA and in the same breath call the Brooklyn Nets a “well run club”. Absolute lunacy.
Wow, that was a statement. a team that is about to lose their superstars will not be lotto in 1 year? Lol I think you need to follow the NBA more. that “well run franchise” made horrible mistakes that gave Boston Tatum and Brown from making bad trades. Sold the farm for a season and half of Harden. Took a passenger in Simmons when they could’ve got more elsewhere( more wasted money). Looking to learn from the garnett pierce catastrophe they decided to do the same again.
But enough about Nets poor running, let’s get onto 23 off season. As you said players follow money, but let’s be realistic. If you got told you could go to nets and pay more tax and not compete, or get the same money from a team that can contend and not tax you to death, what will they do? Moneywise NY isn’t a good call. Competitive wise in 23 and 24 Brooklyn isn’t a good call, if a competing team wants a player in FA they’ll make it work. if not, look at the teams that will have cap and I still can’t see nets getting their guys. Again, it all depends on the KD trade. But then again I “don’t understand”.
Different ownership. Prokorov was nuts. Joe Tsai is more stable. It looks the same but it’s not. I never liked Kyrie or Harden, but pundits like the combo and you probably can’t gave KD unless Kyrie, pre blowup. The Harden thing, people figured could work but Harden is Harden and they got had. That led to the limited options, leading to Simmons. But teams past and present have shown to give control to the players so I do forsee something like this happening again. Give them credit for taking a hard stance on Kyrie (extension). It sucks but they still have KD whom everyone wants and could rebound okay
Outside of arguably the Kenny Anderson years and some flashes with Kidd when have the Nets ever been good? New York can be all that it is and the biggest market… but between them and the Knicks the last NBA chip that city has seen is what? 73? The Nets never but some ABAs in the 70s too. It’s not a city the players are looking to for a winning environment and history.
Seamaholic, you act like getting superstars is all it takes to succeed. Look where the lakers finished this year. Hell, look where the nets finished this year. They are not in a good position moving forward. No denying that
they are not well run, and the durant/irinvg meltdown affects them as much as it affect the players
no star will want to join the,. especially since they will be rebuilding again
Bold to say that the Nets are a well-run club in the middle of them imploding in a very public, drama-heavy way.
@rct
take away the covid pandemic and Kyrie Wright have been a huge issue this year as he was healthy when he did play.
I highly doubt they will be in the lottery.
Sometimes the Lakers get lucky just for being the Lakers. Looks like they are going to get bailed out of that awful Westbrick trade and get the best starting lineup in the process.
I dunno how much better Kyrie is than Westbrook for one year (that’s all that’s left on Kyrie’s contract), considering how many games he doesn’t play, or doesn’t play hard.
@Sean
I would never accuse him of not playing. on the floor, he’s elite. it’s just that he’s not on thr floor often enough.
How many games will Kyrie play this year? He has missed how many games over the last 3 years because of injuries and covid?
Westbrook had about 4 good games all season. The rest he was a hindrance.
Lakers win by default.
Street Clothes, injury prone Bron, unreliable and injury prone Irving, the white guy role player and Stanley Johnson? Not that good
I guess there goes the idea of Brooklyn trying to be competitive, this is a complete rebuild now.
Best way to go for them. They should sit Russ and just wait for the cap space next off-season
I agree, they should sit Russ. Tank completely, let Simmons chill too. That pick will be very good for Houston!
Joking aside, they need to get into asset acquirement mode, try and get as many picks as possible for the next few years and build smart, looking for boarder line all stars will only cover the cracks, they need a full build, but the lack of picks makes it a big task.
I really don’t want to think what a team with simmons and Westbrook would look like. Defense aside they’re like the same shooter skill wise except Westbrook spams his shots and simmons would rather make the extra pass.
Simmons won’t be in Brooklyn. They need to move him to get the best possible deal for KD.
You may have greater trade value than Simmons.
He probably won’t play
Throw in them. 27 & 29 picks by the time the nets are a real contender again it would be 2026,2027 anyways if they keep Ben Simmons he will still be in his late 20s so them picks are valuable n unprotected
Generally, it’s preferrable to trade the better trade asset first. But if a KD trade is going to take some time, the market for KI is as shallow as it appears, and the return is generic (FRPs and salary relief), then it might work better to just get this one done.
Id wait personally, Lakers would never run from it, they have nowhere to run too
Could make most sense if multiple teams are involved to just roll this all into 1 Mega Deal.
*Tor has always coveted THT for some reason
Yes. I think they’re starting the KI process so there’s a possible combination of trades when the KD trade is ready, with the ability to add on more teams for different purposes. BKN’s aim might be another team taking Westbrick, even if it means taking back some other bad contracts (if those players fit better with Simmons) or keeping Harris, who they like btw.
I’d rather them keep Harris. Hes one of the best shooters in the league and is the Nets most loyal player. They would be fools to trade him
That’s cute, an NBA team caring about “loyalty!” Lord knows the fans don’t.
If you step back and look at draft day… why even trade for Royce Oneale?
Lol trading one disaster for other. Lakers are clueless
This trade is just a matter of what/how much get’s attached from the Lakers – It’s actually fairly simple
They got 27 first
28 swap
29 1st
Reaves and Max Christie
Russell Westbrook Kyrie Irving Joe Harris THT are just team timeline/ salary match variables.
Nobody should get hung up on one particular name or the other from that hat
This most likely is happening for better or worse
THT will probably be part of the Kyrie trade! They have to match salaries if Harris goes to the Lakers.
Yes indeed so, the Lakers would prefer a simple KI/Curry for RW but are in no position to call shots-
The Joe Harris {fight} is probably a quasi ploy by LAL to bring down the overall price and get it done asap.
I don’t see the Lakers getting Curry/KI combo in the end and Joe/THT get worked in for salary match
Just incredible. Nets are unbelievable if complete a transaction like this. Other teams can make their offers because whatever it is may be better for the nets
There is no other team making an offer for Kyrie, other than “give us draft picks and we’ll take him so we can cut him.”
LeBron wants to win that badly that he’d reup with Kyrie?
Would be a mistake. Id run it back with Westbrook before Id play with Kyrie again.
Westbrook for LaVine is still the best trade for the Lakers.
– – – – –
LaVine, Coby White, Vucevic and two firsts for AD and Westbrook.
This is why we should have a thumbs down button.
What a nightmare for both teams.
Simmons and Westbrook playing together? Haha
Kyrie and LeBron teaming back up should be interesting.
Teaming up on the disabled list!
Westbrook + Simmons = Disaster Offense
Kyire+AD+Lebronze health=Disaster Team
It’s not that bad for the Nets. Russ is an expiring contract that will give them huge cap space next summer. They can just sit him for the season like John Wall or buy him out. Let Simmons if he going to play run the show with some young guys. Their only option in Brooklyn is to rebuild. The Lakers will have three injury prone superstars and a bunch of no good role players.
Rebuild with what picks? I know they will get some from the team trading for KD but they just gave up a 1st rounder for Royce Oneal…….
As a Nets’ fan since 1980, it would hurt to give up Joey Buckets, but it seems to be the most reasonable to make it work. The NBA Trade Machine accepted Kyrie and Joe for Westbrook, Nunn, and Stanley Johnson. Throw in the 27 and 29 picks and the Nets do that deal. I’m not sure Lakers would give up both picks if they’re taking Joe’s contract, though. They probably prefer Curry and sending cash the Nets’ way in addition to the picks with Westbrook.
It’s so aggravating seeing the lakers get bailed out time after time. Makes the nba a joke
LAL are desperate and it is a desperation move to trade for Kyrie because he is a crackpot. It is true if Kyrie keeps his head on straight for the whole year then LAL benefits but he could just as easily flake and ruin their season.
Lakers please do it.
Kyrie and Joe Harris for Russ, THT and a first.
Kyrie Harris Bron AD and get Tristan Thompson in FA. Three of the Cavs title winning team plus AD who is an upgrade over KLove and Joe Harris who is an upgrade over JR Smith.
Need to round out a stronger bench but Lonnie Walker was a nice pick up, Kendrick Nunn is there hopefully he can bounce back.
Kyrie Bron AD that would be a tremendous big 3
I’ve advocated TT as well but have to wait till everything’s official.It be nice to get a stretch 4 but I think Id rather have TT than Dieng (Swider could possibly strecth 4 in time) . Leave the last spot after that open for a while
I see it –
Ace value for Nets – 2 picks 1 swap
Birdie 2 picks
Par 1 pick 1 swap
Bogey Just 1 pick
Double Bogey- Getting any protections (all above picks unprotected fully)
Curry Harris and THT probably affect that range a tad however they are sliced in but it’s pretty straightforward
There is NO reason for Brooklyn to be considering this trade unless the NBA is totally fixed. Kyrie makes $11 million LESS than Westbrook. They BOTH are on expiring contracts. Lakers don’t have a 1st round pick to offer until 2027 and 2029. Brooklyn is essentially getting NOTHING back in the deal. They can get more for Kyrie on the open market. Brooklyn is going into a rebuild, so Westbrook would be waived. Why would Brooklyn ask for a massive haul for Durant, and then take nothing for Kyrie. If this deal goes through …. The NBA is fixed.
No. Sir, you are incorrect.
There is no market for Kyrie. The Lakers are the only team interested in giving anything up and willing to gamble on a part time player.
What the Lakers should hope for is he’s Traded to OKC and Brooklyn has to attach a few picks. Irving is bought out and can sign on a minimum or however the NBA salary structure works.
Then the Lakers don’t have to spend assets and only cash.
THEN I’d agree that maybe the fix could be in
There was a Bent corner on the Ewing envelope in that draft lottery!!!
The Lakers are NOT the only team interested in Kyrie. Kyrie still performs at an elite level. Westbrook is trash and is making $11 million more than Kyrie and the only thing the Lakers have to offer is THT (Brooklyn doesn’t want), Nunn (injured entire season) and a 1st round pick 5 years from now. Brooklyn doesn’t want Westbrook. He will be waived. Kyrie doesn’t need to have a market if the asking price is this low.
You are telling me that no other team can put together a better offer???
Vaccine rules will not keep Kyrie off the court this season.
Imagine the calamity of the Nets swapping Irving for Westbrook in a multiple player trade yet keeping KD.
AWWWWWKWARD.
I dont see why, Im a Bulls fan, and Id make that trade for AD, the Lakers add a couple unprotected first round picks they’ll have some flexibility in the trade market, LaVine is a nice compliment to Lebron and Coby White is a 6’5” point guard who can score. Vucevic averaged 18pts / 11reb and is a nice third option on offense.
AD would be an upgrade to Vucevic for the Bulls, Westbrook can run point on the Bulls, he dont play well alongside because LeBron dont play off the ball as well as he does with the ball and neither does Westbrook.
You can talk defensive first all you want, but the Lakers arent really built for that game. they dont have the depth, the need as much complimentary scoring as they can get, LaVine, LeBron and Vuc is more complimentary offensively than LeBron, AD and Westbrook.
on the flipside, Westbrook, Derozan, and AD is a nice fit too. Lakers add depth, get some picks to add a player at the deadline. Its a good trade.
Coby White can’t defend himself. Bulls been trying to trade him since they drafted him. People propose trades like league pass doesn’t exist.
Vuvecic was top 10 in NBA WAR last season. Wins above Replacement. You don’t trade players that produce like that!
Westbrook be demise of Derozan. No way those 2 can share the floor. Games are diametrically incompatible.
Bulls got a good great coach, multiple All-Stars and youth on the roster, they just to need to stay healthy and run it back.
Vucevic can’t guard me! Bulls clearly de-emphasized his role halfway through the season
That’s a criticism of NBA WAR then. Not that I or Bas.Ref. uses it. They do use VORP but I don’t like that (either).
WAR is useless in the NBA, and in baseball too for that matter!!!!
Did you actually watch a Bulls game?? Vucevic gave up more points than he scored. He was a liability on the floor. Vucevic is a good stats guy on a bad team like Orlando. Once you start competing for anything, the guy is a liability.
you might be right, they have a good roster, but a glut of guards, Coby White is 6’5”, he’ll get stronger and will be a good defender in the NBA.
DeRozan dont run point guard, and can play off the ball, Westbrook is a great point guard.
Vucevic is a good player but he was a tired dog down the stretch if you followed his minutes.
Ball shot 40 percent from the outside, and you have Matt Thomas who can shoot the three.
At the very least the Bulls should consider signing DeMarcus Cousins to pick up some of Vucevic minutes. Drummond, Vucevic and Cousins would be nice.
Vucevic, Drummond and Cousins would combine to be one of the worst defensive post trio’s in the NBA. You already know who the opposing offense is gonna attack on every play.
Lakers FO and fans are beyond myopic. 3 best players are HEAVY usage guys. LBJ, AD and Russ (or Kyrie). Malik Monk best shooter on roster and just took less money to play in Sacramento! Lakers roster is so thin fan base believes THT is legit NBA rotation player!
Melo most consistent guy on Lakers last year and FO show no plans resigning him. Melo has a skill, he can shoot the rock.
Joe Harris. Best 3PT shooter in the NBA. Spot up and rifle 3’s nightly for 2 seasons while LBJ, AD and Kyrie pound the ball.
Harris be in top form, fully recovered for 2022-23 season. Played with Kyrie in CLE & BRK. Chemistry cooked in. Only 30. Can re-sign him beyond 2 yrs under contract.
Melo is 37? Lakers be smart to resign him.
Since signed LBJ, made AD trade, Lakers FO has made no moves beyond 1 season’s scope. Got a bubble asterisk ring. So high they forgot have zero draft capital, lacked roster diversity and depth, then went and traded for Russell Westbrook?
Joe Harris for a 1st rounder manna from hoopsheaven. Lakers get NBA’s best 3pt shooter on the back of Russ Westbrook salary dump for a Kyrie Irving who shot just shy (49FG%) of 50/40/90 in 103 games as a Net.
Lakers should trade Russ and a 1st for Kyrie and Joe Harris as fast as they can. That’s a deal you make 11 times out of 10 and never look back.
Other teams besides the Lakers willing to take a 1 yr flyer on Kyrie. Portland can go all in. Put Kyrie next to Dame? KD may not go there but Kyrie could buy into “Heat Culture” like flat earth for 1 season. Kyrie could end up in Memphis with Ja Morant in the blink of an eye and be a contender.
No way Brooklyn is taking the deal in the form that the article states unless the NBA is fixed. Brooklyn essentially gets nothing. They don’t want Westbrook and he makes $11 million more than Kyrie. If healthy, Joe Harris absolutely has a trade market. He is one of the top 3-point shooters in the league. Brooklyn doesn’t have to be desperate to attach him to a deal.
You keep saying no way, but the ~$47mil capspace *next year* is there for almost anyone. You don’t even have to issue RW a uniform.
Rumor season
The new CBA will be hilarious. Strike coming soon to this clown show.
Some GM will look at the Lakers getting richer and say,
*Okay we will take Kyrie for a year, if he’s going to come that easily.*
Only other Kyrie scenarios I could see is Mia or Dal
Mia would need a 3rd or 4th team interested in Lowry Duncan salaries. Long shot but it clears the 24 cap while probably providing a better upside 23 team as well. Pat’s not afraid of a calculated gamble
Dallas; basically Dins Powell and a protected 1st or green, maybe even just a couple 2nds to piss Irving off . Rather just hold Dins
Cuban and Pat would need some sort of Irving commitment even if all parties going in knew this was a pure 1 yr deal
Is it wrong to want Westbrook and Irving in LA?
I dont see many rebounding the ball in the NBA better than Andre Drummond and look at Cousins numbers before he had his injuries.
Extrapolate his numbers on the limited minutes he played and they are on par with his numbers pre injury. In my opinion, he is back with fresh legs and still in his prime. If he can stay healthy, he is still an all star caliber player.
Its mind boggling that nobody has signed him.
You know why. It’s less than a boggle.
Why would anyone want Kyrie ……
Why would you pay for that BS
Benause Westbrook’s salary is so high, the Nets could include a 3rd team that wants to drop salary…ie: a trade of Kyrie, Joe Harris, and Davis Bertans to Lakers…Westbrook to Nets…and Talen Horton Tucker to Dallas…with both Dallas and Lakers sending some picks to the Nets.
Nets strongly prefer that Westbrook go to a 3rd team. That’s why this is “preliminary”.