Kyrie Irving's desire for a trade away from the Cleveland Cavaliers has provoked a mighty storm in the NBA.
The winds the All-Star point guard kicked up don't look to be dying down anytime soon, either. According to basketball website Amicohoops.net, the Sacramento Kings are interested in acquiring Irving.
And here's where things get interesting.
The Cavaliers can expect to get a king's ransom, pun only partially intended, for Irving. He's 25, coming off an NBA Finals appearance, he's a multiple-time All Star, he's got three years remaining on a contract that pays him under market value for an elite point guard… Cleveland holds most of the cards here.
That's why any team that wants him is going to have to make a brave offer to get him. In the Kings' case, that may mean sending De'Aaron Fox to the Cavaliers, among other assets.
Yes, that De'Aaron Fox. The fifth overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, the point guard out of Kentucky, who some very reasonable observers reckon may end up being the best player out of this year's class. This is the kind of bold move it may take to land Irving.
That would leave the Cavaliers in an odd situation as a win-now team with a rookie point guard. The hope would be that Fox's development is brought on apace by playing behind LeBron James. And if the Cavaliers do need to rebuild, if James explores free agency next summer, they will already have their cornerstone for the future. They have acted quickly to fill the gap in the short term. According to ESPN, Cleveland and Derrick Rose, the free-agent point guard, have held talks over a one-year deal.
The Kings haven't figured prominently in the list of teams Irving would like to be traded to, ESPN suggested. Chris Haynes says Irving would prefer New York, Miami, San Antonio or Minnesota.
The first two don't present Irving with shots at winning a championship, at least not immediately. In San Antonio or with the Timberwolves, he risks being a star among stars. That's reportedly one of the reasons Irving wants to leave the Cavaliers in the first place.
There will be buyers and offers aplenty, and that's good news for the Cavaliers. The Irving saga isn't likely to be resolved anytime soon.
Uncommon Knowledge
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