Could the Hornets Be Involved in a Kyrie Irving Trade?

The NBA trade deadline is just five days away and things are about to get crazy. On Friday, Kyrie Irving added a little spice to the deadline by requesting a trade out of Brooklyn. It feels like the Los Angeles Lakers are the favorites to land him but in order for a trade to work, it will probably take a third team to get involved.

In one trade proposal by Rohan Nadkarni of Sports Illustrated, Irving is dealt to L.A. with the Charlotte Hornets being the third team in the deal. Here is what Nadkarni is thinking:

Lakers receive: Kyrie Irving

Nets receive: Terry Rozier, Kelly Oubre Jr., Mason Plumlee

Hornets receive: Russell Westbrook, Cam Thomas, 2027 and ’29 Lakers unprotected first-round picks

"You can fudge the details on this one a bit. Maybe Plumlee isn’t involved in the deal. Maybe only one pick gets moved. The Nets could do worse than Rozier and Oubre, though. Rozier already has playoff experience starting in place of Irving, when he started 19 games for the 2018 Celtics in the postseason. Oubre isn’t a great shooter, and yet he would provide insurance for another Ben Simmons playoff disappearance. (Oubre is at least a willing shooter.) The Hornets are a logical landing spot for Westbrook’s expiring deal, and Thomas is a possible prospect to be included if Plumlee is already in the deal. If the Hornets don’t want a massive teardown, though, Rozier and Oubre are still sensible pieces to be moved. But would it be enough for the Nets?"

In my opinion, I don't know if the Hornets are getting enough here. An aging Russell Westbrook, a bench piece in Cam Thomas, and two future firsts that aren't going to help you for another four-six years? That doesn't feel like something GM Mitch Kupchak would be okay with. Well, at least he shouldn't be. Charlotte knows it's entering a rebuild, but they don't want to have to sit and wait around for those reinforcements.

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