Despite the fact that Kyrie Irving already decided to opt-in to his deal with the Brooklyn Nets for next season, the trade rumors just won't go away. LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers were supposedly the frontrunners to land Kyrie before he made his decision, but apparently, there were at least three other powerhouse teams that wanted Irving. At this point, it wouldn't be surprising if the chase continues.
According to NBA insider Shams Charania, the three other teams that had significant interest in a potential trade for the enigmatic Nets superstar were the Dallas Mavericks, the Miami Heat, and the Philadelphia 76ers:
“There were a couple of other teams that were poking around at him in opt-in-and-trade scenarios: Dallas, Miami, Philadelphia,” Shams said on the Pat McAfee Show, via ClutchPoints on Twitter. “But at the end of the day, he made a move where he said, ‘I'm gonna commit. I'm gonna go back to Brooklyn, I'm gonna opt-in.”
The Mavs, the Heat, and the Sixers should all be considered title contenders for 2022-23. The Lakers are on that list too, considering how they have LeBron James on their roster. All four of these teams would have been given a significant boost by a Kyrie trade, and depending on what they would have to give up in order to land the seven-time All-Star, it's easy to see any of them emerging as title favorites with Irving in the mix.