Lakers, Nets trade talks for Kyrie Irving, Russell Westbrook still not progressing

Los Angeles has engaged Brooklyn in trade talks in recent weeks to attempt to acquire Irving in a deal that would send Russell Westbrook to the Nets, sources told ESPN. Thus far, those talks have not progressed toward an agreement. Source: Dave …

Los Angeles has engaged Brooklyn in trade talks in recent weeks to attempt to acquire Irving in a deal that would send Russell Westbrook to the Nets, sources told ESPN. Thus far, those talks have not progressed toward an agreement.
Source: Dave McMenamin @ ESPN

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Melissa Rohlin @melissarohlin
Here at the Drew League. So far, Kyrie Irving is not here for the 11 am game. – 2:16 PM
Kurt Helin @basketballtalk
Report: Russell Westbrook never asked for a trade from Lakers nba.nbcsports.com/2022/07/16/rep… – 2:00 PM
Kerry Eggers @kerryeggers
Headline: Russell Westbrook parts ways with agent Thad Foucher due to “irreconcilable differences.”
Somehow, I’m thinking it wasn’t the agent who was at fault. – 1:42 PM
Dave McMenamin @mcten
New story: Kyrie and LeBron are reuniting in Los Angeles – at the Drew League es.pn/3aIqBQF – 1:35 PM
Brad Turner @BA_Turner
Kyrie Irving expected to play at Drew League today at 11. LeBron James expected to play at 1:45 today at Drew League – 1:01 PM
Kurt Helin @basketballtalk
Russell Westbrook, long-time agent Thad Foucher part ways nba.nbcsports.com/2022/07/16/rus… – 10:00 AM
Jorge Sierra @hoopshype
How many of these things will happen before the start of the season?
KD out of Brooklyn
Donovan Mitchell in New York
Kyrie Irving with Lakers – 4:40 AM
Brad Turner @BA_Turner
Worked with my dude ⁦@Dan Woike⁩ on this story in ⁦@latimessports⁩ on: Lakers’ Russell Westbrook splits with longtime agent over ‘irreconcilable differences’ latimes.com/sports/lakers/… – 1:24 AM
Kyle Goon @kylegoon
A week after StaredownGate in Vegas, an ESPN report says Russell Westbrook has split with his agent over his apparent desire to move on from the Lakers: ocregister.com/2022/07/15/rep… – 11:59 PM
Sam Vecenie @Sam_Vecenie
I have never seen an agent statement quite like that Thad Foucher statement regarding Westbrook per Woj. Fascinated by the decision to publicly state these things. Don’t think the statement is false, don’t think I love an agent laying it all out like that for everyone so plainly. – 11:27 PM
Sam Quinn @SamQuinnCBS
I’m gonna predict that when the dust has settled, Russell Westbrook is going to wind up back on the Wizards after a buyout, where he can post his meaningless triple-doubles in peace. – 11:00 PM
Melissa Rohlin @melissarohlin
Thad Foucher told ESPN that he’s no longer representing Russell Westbrook bc of “irreconcilable differences,” adding that he believes “his best option is to stay with the Lakers.”
So, guess this means Russ unequivocally wants out… – 10:57 PM
Sean Highkin @highkin
Something I wrote about Westbrook in March holds up pretty well bleacherreport.com/articles/10030… – 10:52 PM
Adrian Wojnarowski @wojespn
After 14 years, Lakers star Russell Westbrook and his agent Thad Foucher of Wasserman have parted ways, Foucher tells ESPN: es.pn/3cm36gM – 10:44 PM
Jake Fischer @JakeLFischer
Today’s full episode of ‘Please Don’t Aggregate This’ is live now on @getcallin, Apple, Spotify and more.
Deep dives on Donovan Mitchell, Utah, New York, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in Brooklyn, Indiana post-Ayton offer sheet, and a whole lot more: callin.com/link/zaKSJplwjr – 5:22 PM
Stefan Bondy @SBondyNYDN
leaving it up to the capologists to add pieces to make this legal. Here’s my mega proposal:
Knicks: Mitchell
Pacers: Barrett, Toppin
Jazz: Westbrook (expiring), two picks from Lakers, one from Nets, two picks Pacers, two from Knicks.
Nets: Turner, Fournier
Lakers: Irving – 4:00 PM
Joe Vardon @joevardon
Fourteen of the most popular NBA players missed a combined 67 percent of available regular-season games last year, from Ben Simmons to Zion to Kyrie to LeBron. It’s a troubling trend, ⁦@The Athletic⁩ theathletic.com/3424723/2022/0… – 1:59 PM
Wes Goldberg @wcgoldberg
New @LockedOnHeat pod
– The latest on Miami’s pursuit of Kevin Durant
– The Deandre Ayton domino
– Revisiting Kyrie
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/loc… – 7:33 AM
Marc J. Spears @MarcJSpears
“I never even expected to come into a situation like Brooklyn, where I had Kyrie and KD take me under their wing,” @Cam Thomas told @Andscape. Thomas is leading #VegasSummerLeague is scoring and gives @Kevin Durant and @Kyrie Irving credit for their tutelage. https://t.co/1dnyY4ABdh pic.twitter.com/aLjbo1m5QG – 8:21 PM
Marc J. Spears @MarcJSpears
Cam Thomas focused on improvement amid Nets’ Kyrie Irving-Kevin Durant uncertainty. The second-year guard, who is leading the #NBA summer league in scoring, has taken valuable lessons from his All-Star teammates. Story in @andscape. https://t.co/1dnyY4ABdh #nets #kd #kyrie pic.twitter.com/2VWij7OwQh – 3:29 PM
Sam Quinn @SamQuinnCBS
It obviously isn’t happening, but I just allowed myself to imagine Kyrie Irving getting traded to the Bucks.
Their 2029 1st is tradable now. They could come close to matching salary with Lopez and Grayson (albeit with a HUGE tax bill). If healthy, they’d basically be unbeatable. – 2:29 PM
Chris Broussard @Chris_Broussard
With @EphraimSalaam. Is Adam Silver too player-friendly? Why do folks continue to disrespect Giannis? The Latest on KD and Kyrie & more! Guests: @EddieHouse_50 @Jeff Zillgitt
Catch us live weeknights 7-10p ET on @FoxSportsRadio & @iHeartRadio podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the… – 2:24 PM
Kurt Helin @basketballtalk
Goran Dragic: More about individuals than team with Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant, Nets nba.nbcsports.com/2022/07/14/gor… – 10:23 AM
Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
The July mailbag is up and almost every question is about the Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving situations. On their markets, the ‘run it back’ idea, human nature and more: theathletic.com/3422311/2022/0… – 10:20 AM
Shandel Richardson @ShandelRich
What Goran Dragic had to say about his Kevin Durant/Kyrie Irving experience #miamiheat si.com/nba/heat/miami… – 9:39 AM
Rob Perez @WorldWideWob
Radio Roulette is LIVE @UnderdogFantasy
– Donovan Mitchell to Knicks rumors spawn
– What does the trade look like?
– What I think will happen and why
– KD market
– Kyrie?
– Chet/Keegan/Mathurin, Summer League thoughts
– Vegas Diaries
Join us! ⬇️
youtube.com/watch?v=uY61QG… – 12:16 AM
Shandel Richardson @ShandelRich
Goran Dragic on his Kevin Durant/Kyrie Irving experience #miamiheat si.com/nba/heat/miami… – 10:37 PM
NBA Math @NBA_Math
🗣NEW @HardwoodKnocks
📋 Donovan Mitchell Trades + More News
🔘 Future of Utah Jazz (1:51)
🔘 Mitchell trades (11:33)
🔘 Kyrie (45:38)
🔘 Khris Middleton/Pat Connaughton (53:36)
🎧 https://t.co/lSl4aWS07y
🍎 https://t.co/EMCehDyoeA
✳️ https://t.co/GLRbMOkNa1
FULL TIMESTAMPS⬇️ pic.twitter.com/LhwajMlhwO – 6:50 PM

Oleh Kosel @OlehKosel
Jose Alvarado says his next major target in the NBA for a little Grand Theft Alvarado is Kyrie Irving. – 6:39 PM
Sam Quinn @SamQuinnCBS
I think you can read the latest Kyrie update in one of two ways:
Kyrie Irving is unpredictable and unknowable, and the Lakers stuff has either been BS from Day 1 or he’s changed his mind.
OR
The Nets are really grasping at straws when it comes to leverage here – 5:32 PM

More on this storyline

 

Jake Fischer: From my conversations with people in the league, seems pretty clear Kyrie’s accepting the fact that he is overwhelmingly likely to be back in Brooklyn. -via Spotify / July 16, 2022
Multiple sources with knowledge of the thinking of Westbrook and the Lakers told The Times that Westbrook has never requested to be traded. Earlier this offseason, he opted in to the final year of his contract, which will pay him $47 million this coming season. -via Los Angeles Times / July 16, 2022
In a statement to ESPN, Foucher, one of the league’s prominent player representatives, cited “irreconcilable differences” and suggested that there was no longer full alignment with Westbrook about whether the former MVP should want to remain with the Lakers for the final season of his $47 million contract. Foucher said that he believes Westbrook’s “best option is to stay with the Lakers, embrace the starting role and support that Darvin Ham publicly offered.” As Westbrook, 33, enters the final season of a five-year maximum deal, his standing with the Lakers is uncertain. Westbrook has been the subject of significant trade discussion after an uneven debut season with the Lakers a year ago. Foucher has been his agent since Westbrook left UCLA as a sophomore in 2008 and became the No. 4 overall pick in the draft to the Seattle Supersonics, who later became the Oklahoma City Thunder. -via ESPN / July 16, 2022
“Now, with a possibility of a fourth trade in four years, the marketplace is telling the Lakers they must add additional value with Russell in any trade scenario. And even then, such a trade may require Russell to immediately move on from the new team via buyout. “My belief is that this type of transaction only serves to diminish Russell’s value and his best option is to stay with the Lakers, embrace the starting role and support that Darvin Ham publicly offered. Russell is a first-ballot Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame player and will prove that again before he is retired. “Unfortunately, irreconcilable differences exist as to his best pathway forward and we are no longer working together. I wish Russell and his family the very best.” -via ESPN / July 16, 2022