Devin Booker of the Phoenix Suns just followed Kyrie Irving on Instagram. While this may be a rather innocent move by Booker, recent history suggests that there may be something to this "surprising" moves by NBA superstars. This move by Booker, if based on recent social media history, can be construed as a prelude to a trade that would send Kyrie Irving to the Phoenix Suns.

Is social media a reliable source to indicate future player movement?

While it is not unusual for NBA players to follow each another on social media, the timing of their movements sometimes shows what is happening behind the scenes.

Particularly the timing in which a player decides to follow or unfollow another player.

Case in point: Just before demanding for a trade away from the Cleveland Cavaliers and LeBron James, Kyrie Irving reportedly unfollowed LeBron on Instagram. Then news of Kyrie's trade demand flooded the major news media outlets.

Case in point: Isaiah Thomas of the Boston Celtics followed ex-Utah Jazz player and now Celtics teammate Gordon Hayward just before the offseason festivities started. A few weeks later, Isaiah Thomas' wife posted this on Twitter, just mere hours before Gordon Hayward confirmed his decision to sign with the Boston Celtics:

Granted that these examples are just too few a sample to be statistically accurate.

But if NBA players do follow this pattern, then social media platforms would become one of the best resources for confirming player movements, such as trades. Going back to Devin Booker, an eagle-eyed fan spotted this in Instagram and judging by recent social media history, it seems to signify that Kyrie is headed to the desert.

Kyrie Irving trade to the Phoenix Suns, now imminent?

The Phoenix Suns have a talented team but the face of the franchise is a phenom who is barely out of his teens, still unable to buy himself a beer.

While Devin Booker has all the characteristics of a future All-Star, the team he is currently running with will take a few years to mature together.

While the Suns have shown glimpses of what their future holds, the team often folds during close games or after losing leads late in the game. This suggests that Phoenix lacks a reliable leader on the court. And it is the leadership quality and veteran experience that make Kyrie Irving an enticing option for the Suns. Phoenix has the assets to lure the Cleveland Cavaliers into a deal that would send their disgruntled All-Star to the desert.

As stated above, the Phoenix Suns have the asset that the Cleveland Cavaliers are looking for in return for Kyrie Irving.

But the Suns are seemingly adamant with parting with a few of them. Several reports suggest that the Cavs want rookie Josh Jackson for any trade package involving Kyrie Irving. However, Phoenix wants to keep the young forward in the desert.

That being said, if Booker's move to start following Irving on Instagram is any indication, then the Cavs and the Suns have something big cooking and the Suns' superstar is seemingly privy to this talks.

The Phoenix Suns are one superstar away from possibly contending for a playoff spot in the ultra-tough Western Conference.

The Cleveland Cavaliers has one superstar who allegedly wants nothing to do with them. Having Kyrie Irving in Phoenix could bump up the Suns' timetable for returning to relevancy. Now that the both teams have stated their terms, maybe they can find a common ground to make it work. And judging by Booker's social media activity, it seems that the deal is already done.
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