NBA Notebook: What are the different options for Brooklyn after Irving's trade request?

Kyrie Irving requested a trade from the Brooklyn Nets after they fell to the Celtics in Boston on Wednesday, 139-96, according to Shams Charania, fast forwarding an inevitable offseason contract standoff to before the trade deadline. It's a move that could mark the most disruptive posturing and leveraging imaginable, with a hard deadline approaching to pressure the Nets against, or another instance that could become the end of an era in Brooklyn. 

The Lakers, Mavericks, Heat and Suns lined up as suitors after Irving indicated Brooklyn should trade him or he'll leave in free agency when his $36.5-million contract expires this summer. Kevin Durant, who unsuccessfully demanded an offseason trade, is recovering from an MCL sprain at nearly the same time one year after James Harden sat out with a hamstring injury, while Irving played in only road games due to New York's vaccine mandate. Harden requested a trade the team fulfilled, sending him to Philadelphia for draft picks, Ben Simmons, Andre Drummond and Seth Curry in a deal they've lost so far. Simmons remains questionable for Saturday's game with another injury and Irving is officially listed as out against the Wizards.

Irving's Friday afternoon announcement stunned teams around the NBA and Adrian Wojnarowski reported the move also surprised Durant. Charania noted that Brooklyn involved stipulations in their contract extension offer, something he and his agent Shetellia Riley-Irving disagreed with. Irving sent out a vague tweet prior about being appreciated, and additional reports pointed toward larger issues than the contract terms, stemming back to his offseason threat to leave for a mid-level exception and suspension earlier this season for posting an antisemitic film, with the team outlining terms for a return. That could've marked the end, but Irving returned alongside Durant and interim head coach Jacque Vaughn, who led them on an 18-2 run. 

The Nets now face an impossible decision if offering Irving his max four-year, $198.5-million extension can keep the core together, forgoing any leverage to keep Irving on the floor and focused on the team. Losing Irving, whether now or in the offseason, would likely set up a Durant trade request and a rebuild when the Nets don't own their first-round picks until 2028 due to the James Harden trade with Houston. It's impossible to imagine the Nets returning anything close to fair value in a narrow market for Irving, even if they recover some future assets in return. They also only have five days.

The Lakers will almost certainly step up the plate and offer Russell Westbrook for Irving and an additional salary to make the money work, along with some combination of their 2027 and 2029 first-round picks they held out on moving to this point. Brooklyn probably says no to paying that much luxury tax to fall out of the playoff race and let Westbrook's $ 47.1 million fall off the books without being able to replace it. That deal isn't happening. 

Dallas can send some combination of Spencer Dinwiddie, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Davis Bertans, but can't trade their 2023 first-rounder, and their 2024 and 2025 first-round picks don't become available until this summer when that protected 2023 pick officially goes to New York. There'll also inevitably be some debate about whether Irving is the right backcourt partner for Luka Dončić or if it's possible to find something better before Dončić becomes uncomfortable on an uneven Mavericks team. Once again, a third team is probably necessary to make a straight Irving trade work. 

The Clippers owe most of their future first-round picks to the Thunder and can only offer veterans John Wall, Norman Powell, Marcus Morris and Terance Mann who carry costly luxury tax hits and little ability to support Durant. The Heat can trade Kyle Lowry, who Brooklyn won't want. The Suns might say they're intrigued by adding Durant, but Adrian Wojnarowski revealed the real thought that emerged in many minds once Irving asked out.

Will Durant follow? 

The Nets can jump-start their rebuild, return players with actual value toward their future and a potentially unprecedented haul of draft picks by deciding to deal Durant and Irving together. A deal to send both players to Phoenix, Durant's preferred offseason destination, is possible if the Suns send back Mikal Bridges, Deandre Ayton and some combination of Cam Johnson and future draft picks. 

They could acquire additional draft capital from the Lakers to further entice Brooklyn by sending Chris Paul, a more natural fit next to long-time friend LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Such a mega deal would allow Phoenix to settle both Paul and Jae Crowder's futures. While there's no indication the Suns would be willing to move on from Paul to accommodate Irving, their interest in the guard while Paul and Devin Booker start in the backcourt doesn't seem like a move aimed at adding a sixth man. Phoenix struggled enough early on to make the possibility of a larger change worth mentioning. 

The Raptors also wanted Durant in the offseason, though not enough to extend Scottie Barnes in any offers. It'd be intriguing to see if more than one half-season of struggles and future uncertainty regarding their core players would inspire a more aggressive pursuit of Durant. Players like Pascal Siakam, O.G. Anunoby and Barnes, along with Toronto's full array of future draft picks, would be more appealing than rival offers from nearly anyone. 

We'll await Durant's reaction, and Joe Tsai's after he publicly backed Steve Nash and Sean Marks when Durant demanded their firing in the summer, along with Irving's if Thursday comes and goes without a deal. With so few teams interested in him, and his reliability further diminished by another controversy this season, the Nets could easily call his bluff and refuse to trade him. It's not like they're forgoing a significant return by not dealing him. 

It's startling to think Irving took the podium in Boston on Wednesday, with seemingly little wrong, and offered a subdued, but confident assessment of the Celtics' 10 straight wins over his Nets. He even looked forward at how Brooklyn would achieve what Boston did by playing together more, gelling and figuring out what's made the Celtics so effective against each other in their matchups. Somehow, between Wednesday night and Friday morning, it all went wrong. He also said, just 20 days ago, the biggest difference between this year's and last year's Nets is that nobody stood halfway in on the team. 

"It's clear as day that they want to win a championship and they're not wasting any time in the regular season," Irving said. "Tonight, I felt like we were just one of those teams in the way ... we've got to be one of those teams that stands up to them and at least shows them that we're going to be competition for them moving forward, which I believe we are, but tonight we just didn't show it. Can't hang our heads, we've got to keep our heads up and get ready for this next home stand that we have. We could throw any excuse in the bucket, but I choose not to do that. We just take accountability for where we are in the present, and control what we can control now. The past is the past ... as a competitor, I'm not gonna stop until I figure out what this methodology to the Boston Celtics is right now and why they're so hot ... we just have to develop a tougher mentality here, and when we do that, I feel like we'll be in better competition with them." 

Here's what else happened around the NBA this week... 

Atlanta (27-26): Dejounte Murray and Trae Young dished 34 assists in wins over Phoenix and Utah to salvage another poor week entering an important trade deadline, Landry Fields' first to shape the future of the franchise. Sam Amick reported Bogdan Bogdanovic captivates much of the league entering the trade deadline, but John Collins remains the most likely Hawk to move. The Hawks lowered their asking price for the 25-year-old, and the Jazz and Rockets best fit the team's desire to return a player or players to help salvage this season. They'll no longer require a first-round pick. Young and Murray will not be traded before the deadline, questions for later alongside Nate McMillan's future if this team doesn't progress late this season. 

Boston (37-16): Won an overtime thriller over the Lakers they badly needed to avoid going 1-5 since Marcus Smart left the lineup. Smart is weighing sitting out through the all-star break despite improvement in his injured right ankle coming faster than during the playoffs. They smashed the Nets, 139-96, marking their 10th straight win over Brooklyn and potentially an end of an era for their rival given Kyrie Irving's trade request. They don't appear busy ahead of the trade deadline, but will assess their front court with Jakob Poetl unlikely and reports of Kelly Olynyk interest intriguing, but not from Boston. Jaylen Brown, averaging 27.0 PPG, 7.0 RPG and 3.2 APG on 49% shooting, made his second all-star team and will join Jayson Tatum in Utah. Payton Pritchard, speaking on the Point Forward Podcast, indicated he told Brad Stevens he'd prefer a larger role, with or without Boston. 

Brooklyn (31-20): Achieved normalcy for several months and even won 4-of-6 before their meltdown in Boston, trailing 41-11 in the first quarter. Then, Friday afternoon, Kyrie Irving shook up everything again, and potentially for the final time. They're 4-7 since Kevin Durant went down and despite solid individual play from Irving before Wednesday, Ben Simmons got hurt again, TJ Warren exited the lineup with a sore leg and apparently contract talks with Irving fell apart, leading to his trade request.

Charlotte (15-39): Will discuss trades for all of their veterans, Zach Lowe reported, including Terry Rozier, Gordon Hayward, Mason Plumlee and Kelly Oubre Jr., who's nearing a return from hand surgery. They could partner with the Lakers on a Russell Westbrook trade or acquire Bones Hyland from Denver and provide some stabilizing depth to the Nuggets. Their roster might win too many games late in the season to maximize their lottery odds and they lack some of the future assets of rival rebuilding teams. The Hornets should be active at this week's deadline, and could make multiple moves. 

Chicago (24-27): DeMar DeRozan made the all-star team and the Bulls scored two wins over the Hornets and Magic, but things feel no more exciting than they have been all season. With no Lonzo Ball return in sight and a seller's market emerging, Zach Lowe said the Bulls' intentions around the league remain uncertain. DeRozan and Zach LaVine seem unlikely to move, with Nikola Vucevic's status clouded even ahead of free agency by the cost they paid to acquire him -- a top-four protected pick to Orlando that further complicates any attempt to tank. Meanwhile, Vucevic said last month he'd love to return to the Magic, which is possible as soon as this summer. Alex Caruso, reportedly available for a high price, sprained his right foot this week. 

"That's something I would love to do," he said. "We'll see when that is possible, if that's realistic and how it works out. If anything, at least get one last year in Orlando. I think it's only right it happens, so we'll see. I feel like I have a lot of basketball left, but yeah, for sure that's something on my mind. I can't say it's not."

Cleveland (32-22): It went down between the Cavaliers and Grizzlies' Donovan Mitchell and Dillon Brooks after a low blow delivered by Brooks set Mitchell off, who threw the ball at him and sparked a near brawl. Mitchell was ejected and fined, and the Cavaliers won to move to 5-6 over their last 11 games. Chris Haynes said the Cavs have the ability to get a Cam Reddish deal done. Perhaps the low-cost option Cleveland needs to solidify the wing.

Dallas (28-25): Luka Dončić scored 53 points to beat the Pistons and 31 to top New Orleans as his workload continues to surpass anyone else in the league. The temptation for the Mavericks to acquire Kyrie Irving, who they immediately were connected to following his trade request, might not be possible to resist. Dallas' desire to add an outside star goes back over one decade to the Dirk Nowitzki years, but their last attempt, trading for Kristaps Porzingis, will limit what they can trade for Irving. Tim Hardaway Jr. and Davis Bertans match Irving's salary, or swapping in Spencer Dinwiddie for either player. They can't trade their 2024 or 2025 first-round picks until their 2023 pick officially conveys to the Knicks this summer. 

Denver (36-16): If they do anything, it'll be a small Bones Hyland trade to sure up the back end of their rotation where Hyland probably won't play if the rest of the roster make it to the postseason healthy. He's averaging 12.1 PPG and 3.0 APG, shooting 39.9% and playing 19.5 minutes per game. Chris Haynes said there's friction between Hyland and Michael Malone's coaching staff, with the Timberwolves and Hornets reportedly interested in acquiring him if Denver moves on. Hyland will play in next weekend's rising stars game. Alex Caruso would be an intriguing target if the Nuggets traded draft picks.

Detroit (14-39): Their obvious status as a seller will lead them toward some deadline activity. Their desire to push toward the play-in tournament next season could keep a player like Bojan Bogdanovic around if nobody meets the asking price though. Marc Stein reported Detroit would reject an offer of one first-round pick, forcing opponents to trade multiple picks in any potential deal. Nerlens Noel could certainly move, they seem willing to retain Alec Burks ahead of his 2024 team option and Saddiq Bey could move as teams reach out to discuss his availability. He's extension-eligible this summer. 

Golden State (26-26): Lost both games to begin February as their slog continues, setting up the defending champions up as arguably the most intriguing buyer at this year's deadline. Bob Myers said the team needs to consider its more thin margin for error than one year ago, in case of any injury ahead of the postseason. Will they trade James Wiseman, Moses Moody, Jonathan Kuminga or any of their younger players? The value may not be there to return anything of value, setting up a smaller move along the margins as most likely. Draymond Green's free agency also looms this summer. 

Houston (13-39): Just a reminder that the Rockets own the Nets' 2024 and 2026 first-round picks unprotected, along with 2025 and 2027 pick swap options from the James Harden deal. They anxiously await the fallout from Irving's trade request, while ensuring they reach the bottom of the NBA standings this season. Look for them to trade Eric Gordon ahead of the non-guaranteed final year of his contract and Boban Marjanovic ahead of free agency. Kevin Porter Jr. (toe) remains without a timeline to return after going down on Jan. 11. 

Indiana (25-29): Tyrese Haliburton returned from elbow injury to score 26 points with 12 assists in a last-second loss to the Lakers while nine assists sufficed to beat the Kings. They lost 9-of-10 in his absence and fell out of the east playoff picture by 0.5 games behind Chicago. Their start still convinced Kevin Pritchard and ownership to extend Myles Turner with a renegotiated salary of $34.6 million this season, $21 million next season and $19.9 million in 2025. Their cap space allowed them to front-load extra money to Turner this year and retain him for a smaller raise over two years. He remains trade-eligible, but Rick Carlisle confirmed he's off the market after spending the better part of three years in rumors. Expect a quiet trade deadline here. 

Clippers (29-26): Blew a 21-point second-half lead while allowing 54 points to Giannis Antetokounmpo after winning 6-of-7 coming into the game. Kawhi Leonard is averaging 21.6 PPG, 6.3 RPG and 4.0 APG on 49.8% shooting, increasing his three-point efficiency to 35.2%. They'll reportedly look to trade John Wall in pursuit of a point guard upgrade, with Reggie Jackson's rotation status faltering and an abundance of wings available to shake up the roster. They also enter the deadline without much depth behind Ivica Zubac, setting them up to at least make one or multiple minor moves despite their lack of future draft capital. That makes it hard for me to think they'll land Irving however much they end up getting connected to him over the next week. 

Lakers (25-28): LeBron James sent out some emojis and the Lakers immediately emerged as a suitor for Kyrie Irving, reigniting offseason excitement that they could land Irving. They sacrificed the ability to do that in free agency by trading for Rui Hachimura, but a trade would allow the Lakers to extend Irving long-term by acquiring his Bird Rights from Brooklyn. They can offer a pair of first-round picks with Russell Westbrook and at least one more $1-million salary, an easy decision, but one that'd inevitably set up the end of Kevin Durant's time with the Nets. 

It's hard to imagine that deal happening without more teams getting involved. Chris Haynes reported that LA talked to Utah as a potential landing spot for Westbrook in a multi-team deal, rather than sending him directly to the Nets. Westbrook emerged as Sixth Man favorite this week, but skeptics in the organization remain dubious of his playoff viability, according to Haynes. 

Memphis (32-20): Don't need to do anything, but could do something to solidify themselves as a championship contender. An alway-difficult decision for a team seemingly spoiled with depth, stars, youth and a string of great draft selections. They own a Warriors pick in 2024, another intriguing chip they could use to get aggressive. They remain as elusive as anyone when it comes to front office leaks though, making it hard to leak their deadline approach. They've also lost 7-of-10 after another chippy night where Dillon Brooks got ejected and suspended for one game for his low blow on Donovan Mitchell in Memphis' loss to Cleveland. They're considered a possible, but unlikely landing spot for O.G. Anunoby and their best bet is standing pat. 

Miami (29-24): Their offense lagged again in a narrow win over the Cavaliers and loss to New York where Tyler Herro missed a good corner three look for the win. Herro and Jimmy Butler missed the all-star game, with Bam Adebayo's role in uplifting this sluggish team evident in his appearance on the roster. They probably can't do much, but can flip their own first-rounder this year along with Kyle Lowry if they can find anyone to acquire multiple years of his contract. That's unlikely, setting up the usual Duncan Robinson shopping and a tough decision on whether to include Max Strus in deals. Ira Winderman proposed a Lowry and John Wall swap, an intriguing case for a change of scenery for both guards. I can't see them landing Irving. 

Milwaukee (35-17): They seem intent on landing Jae Crowder and a trade would guarantee they land the disgruntled Bucks forward. The possibility he gets bought out increases with each day closer the deadline approaches. The Bucks have won six straight and Khris Middleton is averaging 13.0 PPG in 17 MPG while shooting 44.3% in six games back from his extended absence with a knee injury. Giannis Antetokounmpo remains the best player in the league, who needs some minor reinforcements and insurance for Middleton given how this season's progressed. They rank 23rd in offense into February. 

Minnesota (28-27): D'Angelo Russell is averaging 20.4 PPG and 5.5 APG while riding the hottest shooting run in the league, 46.3% on 8.1 attempts per night over their last 15 games, with the Wolves winning 10. That all but guarantees Russell remains in Minnesota ahead of Karl-Anthony Towns' return past the trade deadline, which wasn't certain over one month ago. The Wolves sit 1.0 game back of home court in the west and 0.5 ahead of the 10th seed playoff line in a packed west. Austin Rivers, Taurean Prince and Jalen McDaniels were ejected following a brawl against Mo Bamba in Orlando. 

New Orleans (26-27): Startlingly fell out of the west playoff picture after losing their 10th straight game, 111-106, to Dallas where Doncic left injured in the second half. The Pelicans blamed officiating late, but they've fallen to last in offense during their streak by nearly three points per 100 possessions and 19th in defense. Brandon Ingram is shooting 35.1% from the field and 17.6% from three in four games since returning from his toe injury. Zion Williamson has missed 16 games since suffering a hamstring injury on Jan. 3. He'll be evaluated on Tuesday after being cleared to run again. Shams Charania and Chris Haynes linked them to O.G. Anunoby, and New Orleans owns their own plus future Bucks and Lakers pick to beat other offers. 

New York (28-25): They built a compelling duo between Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle that appears good enough to make the playoffs and compete in a first-round series, but not much more than that. The Heat will pressure them for the sixth seed above the play-in line, and while the Knicks own enough draft capital to get aggressive, already trying to land O.G. Anunoby, they need to make the decision whether they're aiming for another big fish like Donovan Mitchell down the line, or committing to the slow build around this core. RJ Barrett continues to struggle to solidify himself as part of it, landing on the bench late in a loss to the Lakers before bouncing back with 30 points to beat the Heat. They could pursue Detroit's Saddiq Bey. 

Oklahoma City (24-27): Finished January 9-5 and third in offense, cooling in a bad loss to the Rockets to start February. They sit in a tie for 12th with the Lakers, 1.5 games back of the play-in tournament, setting up a deadline where they could swing themselves closer to the bottom of the west or the postseason with a move in either direction. They currently only own their own first-rounder this year, and a Clippers swap option that won't convey. 

Orlando (21-32): Loved watching them spar with the Wolves despite Mo Bamba's departure from their bench inevitably leading to a suspension ahead of a trade deadline where his status remains as uncertain as anyone else's on the team. They've won 4-of-7 since beating the Celtics, when Paolo Banchero talked to Boston Sports Journal about the role Jayson Tatum played in his growth that's powered much of Orlando's growth this year. Expect a relatively quiet trade deadline here as they await Chicago's first-round pick from the Nikola Vucevic trade, their own lottery fortune and a reported offseason pursuit of free agent guard Fred VanVleet to solidify their back court. This group could be legitimately competitive at this time next year. 

Philadelphia (34-17): Visit Boston on Wednesday in the final meeting between the two potential east finalists before the trade deadline. The 76ers rocked the NBA by landing James Harden one year ago, and appear poised to stand pat with much of their activity completed during the offseason. They finished January 11-3 and second in offense, despite a 24th-ranked performance on the defensive end. Harden was left out of the All-Star Game. 

Phoenix (28-26): They'll finally return Devin Booker to the lineup on Tuesday against the Nets if all goes well after they shut down the Celtics on Friday in Boston in an encouraging win. He's missed 20 games with a groin injury where the Suns lost 11, with Chris Paul returning from his own hip ailment to steady their play into February. They ranked last in offense in January and third in defense. Cam Johnson (knee) missed Friday's win as his recovery from surgery earlier this season continues and a large decision looms on Jae Crowder ahead of Thursday that almost guarantees Phoenix will make some kind of deal over the next week. With Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant potentially in play, the possibilities range from small to transformative. 

Portland (26-26): Still in the west playoff picture while all-star Damian Lillard plays as well as anyone in the NBA into the new year. He averaged 34.5 PPG, trailing only Joel Embiid and leading the fifth-ranked Blazers offense that only managed a 6-9 record while their defense faltered in January. They're interested in Jazz big Jarred Vanderbilt, a Lillard favorite, indicating they'll look to add rather than sell at the deadline. Reports previously indicated a willingness for the Blazers to listen to offers for Jusuf Nurkic and Josh Hart. They're now eyeing a possible O.G. Anunoby move.

Sacramento (29-22): Double-double machine Domantas Sabonis made the All Star Game while his offensive partner De'Aaron Fox fell short in a crowded race for back court spots rounded out by Ja Morant, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Damian Lillard. It's easy to imagine him stepping up in case of an injury though. Keegan Murray took home a second consecutive west rookie of the month award after averaging 14.0 PPG on 51% shooting in January. They've remained quiet ahead of the trade deadline and there's a chance they add something small, showing interest in Matisse Thybulle. 

San Antonio (14-39): Eight straight losses still positions them ahead of the Rockets in the west standings and the Texas tank-off. They've maintained a high asking price for veterans Jakob Poetl, Josh Richardson and Doug McDermott they held firm on through the trade deadline last year, but now face free agencies in Poetl and Richardson's cases. They should move before the deadline, and their $26.9-million in cap space allows them to become a third-team facilitator in nearly any deal. That could key any larger Kyrie Irving deal that emerges and allow them to accumulate more future draft picks. 

Toronto (24-30): A critical week in franchise history awaits with Fred VanVleet and Gary Trent Jr. set to become free agents, Pascal Siakam and O.G. Anunoby potentially available for the right price and Kyrie Irving's trade request reigniting dreams teams like Toronto had in the summer to land Kevin Durant. The Raptors previously balked at including Scottie Barnes in a deal, and it'd be intriguing to see how their approach would change after a poor first half of the season thrust them into the lottery and facing a reset toward the summer. They've resisted choosing a direction until the last second. 

Utah (27-27): We seem to know where they stand better than any other team approaching the trade deadline. They're willing to talk Mike Conley, Kelly Olynyk, Jarred Vanderbilt, Malik Beasley and Rudy Gay. It's less likely they move Lauri Markkanen, Walker Kessler, Ochai Agbaji and Jordan Clarkson. Anything could happen here as they sit on the edge of the play-in line, along with fulfilling their long-rumored interest in John Collins. They've reportedly heard from Miami and Boston on Olynyk. 

Washington (24-27): Struck early with the Rui Hachimura trade and won 7-of-10, nearly reaching eight after falling just short at home against Portland while Bradley Beal and Kristaps Porzingis combined for 66 points. After clearing minutes for Deni Avdija and securing some draft capital, rather than letting Hachimura go for nothing, it appears likely the Wizards stand pat and try to contend for the play-in tournament as the current ninth seed.