Teams interested in Kyrie Irving find it hard to come out with a perfect package of players that will entice the Cleveland Cavaliers to give up their All-Star playmaker. The Cavaliers want a win-now veteran, a blue-chip young player and top draft picks for Irving, who recently demanded a trade as he wants to become the No. 1 option of a team, far from LeBron James’ shadow.
Irving gave the Cavaliers four teams – the San Antonio Spurs, New York Knicks, Minnesota Timberwolves and the Miami Heat -- as possible trade destinations. The Cavaliers are reportedly interested in Phoenix Suns’ point guard Eric Bledsoe, No.
4 pick Josh Jackson, and a 2018 first-round pick. However, the Suns are not willing to give up Jackson, whom they see as a future cornerstone of the team, and high-scoring guard Devin Booker, for Irving.
The Knicks are willing to trade Carmelo Anthony for Irving but the veteran forward wants to be shipped to the Houston Rockets. The Timberwolves were planning to trade Andrew Wiggins to the Cavaliers but team owner Glen Taylor said he wants to keep him on a long-term deal. Facing limited options, Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report said the Cavaliers should widen their option by looking at other trade possibilities that will be a win-win for both the team and Irving.
Three-team trade with Suns, Spurs
Among them is a three-team trade involving the Suns and Spurs, where the Cavaliers will receive Bledsoe from Phoenix and Danny Green and Davis Bertans and 2020 first-round picks from San Antonio. The Spurs, in turn, will get Irving while the Suns will acquire Dejounte Murray and Kyle Anderson of the Spurs and Cleveland’s Iman Shumpert.
Lillard-Irving swap
The Cavaliers could also look into the possibility of trading starting point guards with the Portland Trail Blazers. In this deal, the Cavaliers will receive Damian Lillard and forward Al-Farouq Aminu and the Trail Blazers will get Irving and Shumpert. Lillard has four years remaining in his contract with the Blazers, while Aminu will give the Cavaliers a dependable big man.
The Blazers can also explore the possibility of sending CJ McCollum to the Cavaliers for Irving.
The Cavaliers can enter into a four-team trade with the New York Knicks, New Orleans Pelicans and the Trail Blazers. Under this proposal, the Cavaliers can get Lillard, Pelicans center DeMarcus Cousins, Knicks star Carmelo Anthony, and Aminu. The Knicks will receive Maurice Harkless, Meyers Leonard and Solomon Hill while the Pelicans get Kevin Love and Courtney Lee. The Blazers will acquire Irving, center Tristan Thompson, and Shumpert.