Even though the NBA 2K23 Summer League in Las Vegas is going on, the talk around the leagues revolves around the Brooklyn Nets and what they’ll do with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.
The NBA was thrown into a frenzy when Durant requested a trade, forcing franchises to evaluate their options and see if they can trade for the superstar. Meanwhile, Irving has been heavily linked to the Los Angeles Lakers after he opted into his deal and received no contract extension from the Nets.
Head coach Darvin Ham is aware his team could look different than the one currently assembled, but he emphasized how much he and the organization love the players they have now, via Dave McMenamin of ESPN:
“We love everyone on our roster,” Ham told reporters Friday at halftime of L.A.’s 104-84 summer league loss to the Phoenix Suns on Friday. “And until you’re not on our roster, you’re ours and we’re going to try to get better with the group that we have. That’s just the bottom line of it.
“I don’t know a player that’s come through this league in my 26 years that hasn’t had their name part of a trade rumor a time or two. But, it is what it is. It’s the nature of the beast of our business. And so, again, the guys we have on our roster I’m very thankful for, I’m proud of and we want to maximize everything they can do to help us get to that ultimate goal.”
Ham has spoken highly of all the players on the team, including Russell Westbrook, who would need to be moved in any deal that brings Irving to Los Angeles. Despite a lack of progress in negotiations, the expectation is Westbrook will be shipped out and Irving will be donning the Purple and Gold.
Summer League represents a chance for all executives to meet in person, and reports have already pegged the event as a conduit for an Irving trade. The next week could finally be when the NBA and Lakers fans get the news they have all been waiting for.
Rob Pelinka seen talking to Sean Marks at Summer League
Rob Pelinka was spotted at the team’s first Summer League game against the Phoenix Suns, and interestingly enough, he was also seen speaking to Nets general manager Sean Marks the following day. What they were discussing is anyone’s guess, but it’s likely Irving’s name came up.
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