There is “renewed optimism” that Kyrie Irving could rejoin the Nets this season, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.
It’s unclear whether it would be him finally receiving the COVID-19 vaccine or the Nets allowing him to practice and play road games, but players and coaches want him back as soon as possible.
He and Kevin Durant have also increased their communication in recent weeks, talking about his fit on the team, breaking down the games and discussing life in general. The level of enthusiasm has increased between the superstars as well.
If the Nets get Irving back as a full-time player, then they’re easily the overwhelming favorites to win the championship this season.
More NBA Rumors
- The Lakers have internally discussed trading Russell Westbrook, as his fit next to LeBron James and Anthony Davis isn’t what they hoped, according to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report. However, a trade is highly unlikely due to his high salary. The Sixers could acquire him for Ben Simmons if they wanted to, but Westbrook isn’t on their wishlist.
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Talen Horton-Tucker has become a trade target for as many as seven teams, according to Jordan Schultz of Schultz Report. However, the Lakers’ asking price will be high given that he’s one of their few young talents.
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The Kings are shopping Buddy Hield and Marvin Bagley III, but aren’t actively pursuing Domantas Sabonis, Myles Turner or Caris LeVert, Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee reports. The Kings expressed interest in Ben Simmons and Pascal Siakam over the offseason. Perhaps they can look into those possibilities again.
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Some around the league believe the Celtics are willing to move Dennis Schroder in a deal, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports. Schroder inked a one-year pact with Boston during the offseason after failing to secure a long-term deal in free agency.
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There is still optimism that the Sixers will pull off a Ben Simmons trade before the end of the season and the club has begun to ramp up talks with rival suitors. The Knicks, Lakers, Timberwolves, Blazers, Kings, Pacers, and Cavs are the latest batch of teams to show interest in the three-time All-Star, as Shams Charania of The Athletic reports.
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Ben Simmons would welcome a trade to the Spurs, as he’s intrigued by being coached by Gregg Popovich, according to longtime journalist Marc Stein. However, the Spurs don’t have the star Daryl Morey is seeking in return, which could make a deal difficult between the two teams.
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The Warriors aren’t entertaining the thought of trading James Wiseman, according to Tim Kawakami of The Athletic. They view themselves as a good enough team to win a championship as things currently stand and are high on his upside as a future star in this league. -
Caris LeVert has fans within the Cavaliers’ organization, according to Chris Fedor of cleveland.com. For more on LeVert’s potential fit in Cleveland, check out our recent piece breaking it down.
