What the Suns Have to Offer in a Trade for Kyrie Irving
Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving may potentially be on the move after reportedly demanding a trade earlier today. Irving - who is set to hit free agency in the offseason - refused to sign an extension offered by the team and insisted he would leave in the summer if not traded by the Feb. 9 trade deadline.
This isn't the first time Irving has wanted out of Brooklyn... or whatever predicament he was in. For as talented as Irving has been, his inability to remain out of the spotlight for wrong reasons has followed him at every stop of his career.
Phoenix was one of three teams who "emerged as potential suitors" for Irving along with the Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks, according to another report from Shams Charania.
This also isn't the first time that Phoenix has shown interested in a superstar in Brooklyn, as they were heavily tied with Kevin Durant over the summer before those rumors quickly died down.
We're six days away from the trade deadline, so conversations will need to be swift in order to facilitate a deal. Irving could end up in a few different locations, though this is what Phoenix has to offer:
First and foremost, Jae Crowder
Crowder and the Suns can't move quick enough to make their divorce final. His presence as a three-and-D threat on the wing with playoff experience would bode well next to Durant, and his contract is easily disposable as he enters free agency this summer.
... Among other players
This is definitely not the preferred method, but if you're getting Irving then you're definitely putting Paul on the block. CP3 is 37-years-old and is definitely on the downslope of his career but still is capable of providing some juice left to a Nets team that may still be looking to contend this season.
Deandre Ayton remains a potential trade option here, but the Nets reportedly did not want him last summer and Ayton has trade refusal rights for the first year of his offer sheet matched by Phoenix.
Phoenix may also explore other options of either Mikal Bridges or Cam Johnson in the deal, though fans prefer neither of the two to leave.
Draft Capital
One of the better things about the Suns is their current arsenal of draft ammo. Phoenix has control of their draft picks through 2030, quite a rarity for a team that still finds themselves in contention.
The Nets - who lost most of their short-term draft capital in the James Harden trade from Houston (though they did recoup some of that back from Philadelphia) - will surely be looking for the Suns' future picks alongside some of the players mentioned above.
Luxury Tax Money!
Finally, an owner who will spend.
While we wait on official confirmation for the Suns' sale to be finalized, Mat Ishbia brings hope and promise of maximizing a championship window that started two years ago by shelling out the necessary money to compete with other financially-backed rosters in the league.
That involves taking on Irving's salary for this year and moving forward. He's making $36.9 million this year.
A Ready to Win Now Roster
The aforementioned factors were all for potential negotiations with Brooklyn, but what would entice Irving to come here?
The potential duo of him and Devin Booker together in the same backcourt would be lethal. Assuming one of either Ayton, Bridges or Johnson is able to remain on the team (hopefully 2/3 would be ideal), the Suns would still be set to make a deep push into the postseason with that starting lineup.
Also considering Phoenix is a very desirable location to live for a variety of reasons, it might not take long to sell Irving on the prospect of coming to the Valley.
Time will tell if anything comes to fruition, but the Suns
