Ever since Kyrie Irving opted into his deal with the Brooklyn Nets for the upcoming season, reports state that the enigmatic point guard has been fully committed to the cause in Brooklyn. This doesn't mean, however, that the Nets have closed their door on a potential blockbuster deal for Kyrie.

Irving won't come for cheap, though. In a recent edition of Marc Stein's substack (paywalled), the NBA insider revealed that the Nets are looking for a massive haul for Kyrie — and rightfully so:

The Nets’ current stance, sources say, is that they are unwilling to send out Irving in a trade if the deal solely brings back future assets.

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https://open.spotify.com/episode/1Ot0D0tHM49p8zV7PPjmUp?si=8d77eb1949ba4e25

The Los Angeles Lakers have been identified as the frontrunner to land Kyrie if he actually leaves the Nets. This new development could be troubling for Lakers fans given how their team doesn't really have too many trade assets to go by.

The good news for LeBron James and Co. is that Stein also reported that the Lakers also have a renewed stance on their pursuit of Kyrie Irving. Apparently, LA is now willing to send two future first-round picks to the Nets along with Russell Westbrook. The former league MVP is obviously no longer the dominant superstar he once was, but he could fill Brooklyn's requirement of wanting non-future assets in the deal. Russ is also on an expiring deal, which gives the Nets a lot of options.

If you read between the lines, it seems that both the Nets and the Lakers have now aligned their interests with regard to a potential blockbuster trade. This isn't a done deal by any means, but it just feels like a step in the right direction.