NBA Trade Rumors: Kyrie Irving To Heat Or Celtics, Goran Dragic & Justise Winslow To Cavs Trade Mentioned
NBA trade rumors aren’t scarce these days regarding the Cleveland Cavaliers’ Kyrie Irving, with teams including the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics mentioned as recent possibilities. The 25-year-old All-Star point guard and NBA Champion wants to become the “focal point” of another franchise beyond Cleveland where he has spent his career in the shadow of superstar LeBron James. The public knowledge that Irving is unhappy playing in the Cavs’ organization has led to multiple teams trying to entice Cleveland with a trade package. Here’s the latest on the Heat’s rumored package and the Celtics’ interest in Irving.
From a report this Friday via ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, it was mentioned that as many as 20 teams had an interest in Kyrie Irving, but only six were strong suitors due to having the assets to offer the Cavs. It was also mentioned that Cleveland is looking to get a trade package that looks similar to what the Denver Nuggets sent Carmelo Anthony to the New York Knicks for. That deal had a combination of younger players along with league veterans and also some draft picks. Among them were Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler, Raymond Felton, and several first-round picks in future NBA drafts.
Also mentioned in Wojnarowski’s report was a potential deal between the Heat and Cavs.
“The Heat are willing to part with Goran Dragic and Justise Winslow as centerpieces for an Irving trade, league sources said. With the Cleveland-Miami history, there’s little chance for a deal unless the Heat offered an overwhelming package.”
While many Miami fans are probably praying for Pat Riley to get a deal of this nature to go through, it doesn’t seem like it’s in the realm of possibility. Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel reported on Friday that the Heat denied the reports that any such offer was on the table for Kyrie Irving. So it looks like the four-time All-Star won’t be bringing his talents to South Beach just yet. It would certainly make for some interesting headlines and future Cavs vs. Heat matchups, though.
How about the Boston Celtics? The East’s No. 1 seed this past season fell to Kyrie Irving and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals 4-1. They currently feature All-Star point guard Isaiah Thomas and just recently landed former Utah Jazz All-Star Gordon Hayward during free agency. The team also had the No. 3 draft pick this past summer and added Duke forward Jayson Tatum to their roster. Could they possibly acquire Kyrie Irving to overtake the conference’s top team?
Bleacher Report’s Alec Nathan mentioned in a trade rumors report that the Celtics certainly have the sort of assets to offer Cleveland in a deal, including the 2018 first-round pick from the Brooklyn Nets as well as several younger talented players. However, ESPN’s Wojnarowski has said that Celtics are just “monitoring” the situation rather than making any active trade offers. Boston fans will have to hope for the best from their team in the coming season and if a Kyrie Irving trade does take place, it could still work out in their favor as it possibly makes the Cavs a bit weaker.
[Featured Image by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images]
