Tag: NBA Free agency 2022

Reported Russell Westbrook trade talk involving the Nets had fans joking about a (brief) Kevin Durant reunion

That could be a little awkward…

NBA free agency is in full swing, and a number of high-profile moves around the league have already been made.

However, everyone’s eyes are currently on the developing situation involving Kevin Durant. The veteran superstar has spent the last four seasons with the Brooklyn Nets after winning back-to-back titles with the Golden State Warriors, but he’s likely on his way to a new team yet again.

Durant has requested a trade, and though he’ll carry quite a hefty asking price in any potential deal, it seems likely that he has played his last game in Brooklyn.

However, before he makes his next stop known, he could be in for a fairly awkward (albeit brief) reunion. According to Yahoo Sports’ Chris Haynes, the Nets have been in preliminary trade talks with the Los Angeles Lakers to acquire point guard Russell Westbrook in exchange for Kyrie Irving, who has also requested a trade.

This would, of course, mean that Durant and Westbrook — who were previously teammates with the Oklahoma City Thunder from 2008 to 2016, would be on the same team once again. That is, until Durant is likely traded at some point this offseason.

For now, though, fans had a lot of jokes about the potential reunion.

Bettors hammered Lakers title odds after reports of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving’s trade wishes

Bettors are hammering the Lakers.

In the wake of the opening of free agency and reports that Kevin Durant wants out of Brooklyn, bettors are apparently hammering Los Angeles Lakers title odds.

At least three sportsbooks, and likely more, have seen dramatic movement on LA’s odds, which have gone from 15-1 to 13-1 in the last day at Tipico Sportsbook and 22-1 to 10-1 at Caesars. Since yesterday, LA has been the most bet on team by handle to win the 2022-23 NBA title at DraftKings, which now has the Lakers at +1200.

The movement obviously isn’t due to anything the Lakers have shown on the court in the past year. Rather it’s something people are expecting to happen.

That 3 p.m. time noted above is just after news of Durant’s trade request broke. And ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported that Kyrie Irving wants to force his way to the Lakers and league executives believe there’s a way LA can grab both Irving and Durant. Something like that would certainly move the needle.

I’m not ready to hammer LA’s title odds just yet because I’m having a hard time seeing the package for Irving that the Nets would find attractive. If Durant is included, that obviously changes my mind — even with Anthony Davis likely headed to Brooklyn — but that just feels a little farfetched at this point.

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Top 5 teams that should trade for Kevin Durant (including the Warriors), and 5 teams that shouldn’t

Everyone should want KD. But especially these five teams.

First, let me start by saying, if you have a chance to acquire Kevin Durant, you do it. The end.

Durant, who requested a trade from the Brooklyn Nets, as reported Thursday by The Athletic’s Sham Charania, is an all-world talent who automatically makes the team he’s on a title contender.

However, Durant’s mere presence doesn’t guarantee a championship — just look at the Nets. And just because he’s out of Brooklyn doesn’t mean he’d be happy anywhere. As of now, there are only a couple teams reportedly on his list of destinations, so anyone else taking a swing could be risking trading for a disgruntled star. For some places, that’s a risk worth taking.

Here, I’m taking a look at the top five teams that should take that risk, along with their current 2023 title odds via Tipico Sportsbook. And I also give you five teams that shouldn’t.

Looking ahead to the top 2023 NBA free agents, including … LeBron James

Some big names hit the market NEXT summer, in 2023.

This year’s free agency period will be highlighted by tons of fringe moves involving key rotational players but very few big names. The big names that are out there, like Bradely Beal and Zach Lavine, could very well re-sign with their current teams.

So for those looking for potential star movement, the summer of 2023 offers a little more excitement. Granted, many of next summer’s top free agents are older players who can’t swing the fortunes of a franchise by themselves. But in the right situations, some of these guys can have a big impact.

Here’s a look at some of the top unrestricted free agents of 2023, via Spotrac.

The Rockets reportedly have to pay John Wall millions of dollars not to play for them again and fans were thrilled for him

John Wall is living life the right way

John Wall’s career has been utter chaos since being traded from the Wizards. His contract situation has been one of the most perplexing we’ve ever seen in the NBA.

Dude has only played 40 games in the last 3 seasons but has made hundreds of millions of dollars. He was shut down by the Houston Rockets in the middle of the 2020-21 season and, well, we haven’t seen him since.

Obviously, he didn’t play last season either after the Rockets decided not to play him in their effort to get their young guys minutes, which is basically code for “we’re trying to tank.” But, regardless, Wall didn’t play. And the only talk about him last year was where he’d end up this year.

As of now, it’s looking like Houston. Again. That’s because Wall reportedly picked up his $47.4 million option with the Rockets for next year, per The Athletic’s Shams Charania.

That means Wall will be paid that $47.4 million unless he and the team can agree to a buyout.

So here’s where we ultimately are with this one. The Houston Rockets will have to either pay the man his money to sit on the bench, pay him some negotiated sum of money to find another team or just trade him to another team that will pay him that money to actually play.

It sounds like this guy John Wall has life figured out. Getting paid millions to do absolutely nothing? Nah, that’s the dream.  Just look at this, y’all.

I don’t know about y’all, but that sounds like a dream to me. And, of course, Wall actually wants to play basketball. He eventually will.  But, hey, man. That generational check has to make things a bit better, right?

The internet was so happy to see Wall getting paid.

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