Breaking It Down: Is Kyrie Irving Worth Trading for?

Brooklyn Nets superstar point guard Kyrie Irving (Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

Despite being one of the most skilled players in the history of basketball, hesitancy around trading for seven-time NBA All-Star Kyrie Irving is evident. 

While Irving opted into his $37 million option to stay with the Brooklyn Nets this year, his future with the team remains uncertain, especially with Kevin Durant’s recent trade request. Trade speculation continues to happen, and several reports indicate Irving eyes a departure from Brooklyn, specifically a trade to the Los Angeles Lakers. Many would love to see a LeBron James-Kyrie Irving reunion, but as we start to look into Irving’s past - is he worth acquiring despite his incredible talent? The answer to that is very complicated, so before deciding right away, it is important to briefly break down Kyrie’s past in the NBA. 

NBA Reporter Marc Stein says LeBron James has expressed how badly he wants LA to trade for former teammate Kyrie Irving amid reports of Irving wanting to play for the Lakers (FOX News)

Irving’s tenure in Cleveland included three years playing alongside James, in which the Cavs had three consecutive trips to the NBA Finals and the franchise’s first championship in 2016. In 2017, Irving demanded a trade, citing that he felt it was time to be the face of his own team rather than James' number two guy, resulting in a trade to the Boston Celtics.

In Boston, Irving would only stay for two seasons after a disappointing second-round 4-1 exit at the hands of Giannis Antetekounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks in 2019. However, what stands out most about his run in Boston is his infamous guarantee at TD Garden that he would remain with the team long term. Unfortunately, Irving didn’t end up keeping his word, as he would end up leaving to sign with the Brooklyn Nets during the 2019 offseason.

Since joining the Brooklyn Nets with Durant, there has seemingly been more negative noise than positive. After being top title favorites for two years, Brooklyn ended up having two disappointing early playoff exits, including a round one sweep to the Boston Celtics this past season.

Nets teammates Kevin Durant (left) and Kyrie Irving (right) during Brooklyn’s playoff matchup against the Boston Celtics (Yahoo! Sports)

In his first season playing alongside Durant, Irving would create a buzz after skipping games for reasons he never revealed and supposedly held his own practices with select teammates. This past season he would elect not to get vaccinated for COVID-19, ruling him out for the majority of the season before the rule in New York City was eventually revised. It is no secret that Irving’s behavior played a meaningful role in situations like James Harden demanding a trade to the Philadelphia 76ers or Brooklyn’s disappointing season this year.

Yet despite being off the court for most of the season, Irving still shined when he was available, including a career-high 60-point performance this season and a 39-point performance in Game One of Brooklyn’s playoff series against Boston. The future Hall-of-Famer remains a top talent on the court, despite questions about his leadership, behavior, and availability.

Kyrie Irving during a 60-point performance against the Orlando Magic in March 2022 (The Athletic)

So is Irving worth trading assets for? If the team is already one that sees success, then yes. Irving’s reported desire to reunite with James in LA is no secret. A team of James, a healthy Anthony Davis, and Irving would be the Lakers’ best chance of winning another championship since doing so in 2020 in the NBA’s bubble. A team like the Clippers not only has assets to acquire Irving, but with superstars like Kawhi Leonard and Paul George leading the team, Irving has more room to play and contribute to the team positively.

Even teams like the Miami Heat or Phoenix Suns (who are more focused on acquiring Durant) who aren’t necessarily on Irving's radar in terms of future teams can still use him alongside the superstar talent they already have. Or a team like the Dallas Mavericks, who clearly need to surround superstar Luka Dončić with more help.

But what do the Lakers, Clippers, Heat, Suns, and Mavs all have in common? They are all first-class organizations under exceptional leadership and have seen recent success. All are teams with superstars and have highly respected names in their organizations (Irving’s former coach Ty Lue with the Clippers, Pat Riley in Miami, Mark Cuban in Dallas, etc.). If a team runs smoothly and successfully and has done so for a long time, Irving is absolutely worth acquiring to play alongside their stars.