On Wednesday’s episode of random NBA drama in the off season, Fox Sports’ analyst Nick Wright and Kyrie Irving got into a confrontational Twitter exchange. Wright, who first proposed that a Kyrie Irving for Ben Simmons trade deal would make sense, continues to believe that this transaction is best for the Nets and the Philadelphia 76ers.
However, there are a bunch of reasons why this trade would never happen in the first place. For one, Kevin Durant and Irving are great friends and one of the biggest reasons why the former joined Brooklyn in the first place. It’s also unlikely that two teams in the same conference like the Nets and the Sixers would get on the phone or break bread and trade assets. It’s just not how it works in the NBA.
Some NBA news:
There are a handful of Kyrie trades that potentially make sense for the Nets, Kyrie’s agents have made it known that Kyrie would simply *retire from the NBA* if Brooklyn were to trade him.
— nick wright (@getnickwright) September 15, 2021
So in the wake of all this possible trade talk, Wright tweeted on Wednesday that his sources believe that Irving will consider retiring if he is dealt to another team. Pretty bold move for a 29-year-old who has yet to win a championship outside of LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
A Puppet pic.twitter.com/iKxopt0zcL
— Hélà (@KyrieIrving) September 16, 2021
Kyrie Irving then replied to Wright by tweeting a puppet GIF, probably indicating that the latter may have a different agenda.
But in fairness to Wright, his trade proposal of Ben Simmons for Irving actually really makes sense for both teams. Here are three reasons why Nick Wright was right about his trade proposal:
The Nets could really use Simmons’ skillset
Ben Simmons has become a punching bag in the past few months because of his disastrous playoff performance last season. Yes, he still cannot shoot but that doesn’t mean he’s an overrated player that can’t make an impact on a team anymore. Simmons is, after all, still an elite defender. He can guard 1-5 and was even close to winning last season’s defensive player of the year award.
That said, the Nets could actually benefit from Simmons’ defense. If there’s one thing to nitpick about the Nets, it’s their defense despite being an offensive juggernaut. Simmons can both be a ball handler for the team while amplifying it’s overall defense. Playing alongside Durant and James Harden won’t give him the pressure to score all the time.
Kyrie Irving and Joel Embiid duo would be box office
If Kyrie ends up with the Sixers, his partnership with Joel Embiid would increase the Sixers’ chances more than what it actually is now. Irving and Embiid’s pick and roll would be a blast to watch. Unlike Simmons, Irving can shoot the three ball and create his own shot which will remove the scoring load on Embiid. A point guard like Kyrie is what a big man like Embiid would really need to maximize his potential.
A less toxic work environment for both teams
We’re not sure how Kyrie Irving really is in the Nets locker room but he did create headlines last season, when he reportedly took a leave in the middle of the regular season to attend a party with no mask. Meanwhile for Ben Simmons and the Sixers, their relationship is damaged at this point and it seems like it’s not going to be fixed soon. If both teams swap for these two all-stars maybe the drama in the locker room depreciates?
As hard as it is to see this trade going down, it still makes sense at least fit and skill set wise. But then again, the NBA is a player empowerment league so it’ll really be up to what both of the players want at the end of the day.
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