How San Antonio Spurs can benefit from Nets and Lakers’ deal for Russell Westbrook and Kyrie Irving

Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report claims that the Nets and Lakers have conducted “preliminary negotiations” regarding a trade including Irving and that both parties are “exploring the prospect” of including the Spurs in the deal to make it a multi-team one.

What would the Spurs gain from it? Pincus continues by stating that the Nets, who anticipate going over the luxury tax threshold, are not drawn to Westbrook’s expiring deal. The Spurs have the ability to take place for Westbrook’s contract and would probably be compensated with a draft pick if they did.

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The Lakers may need to wait if they want to switch from Russell Westbrook to Irving, according to sources. The Nets, who presently expect to be above the league’s luxury tax threshold of $150.3 million, are not interested in Westbrook’s $47.1 million expiring deal.

According to league sources, Brooklyn sees settling Kevin Durant’s trade request as a much greater priority than paying Irving’s remaining $36.9 million on the Nets’ balance sheet.

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However, with the Spurs’ assistance and San Antonio taking on Westbrook’s contract to free up cap space for draft considerations, the Irving/Westbrook catastrophe could finally find a solution. The Nets may then use that to establish a sizable trade exception equal to Irving’s full contract.

Dejounte Murray, who just finished a season in which he was named an All-Star and averaged a career-high 21.1 points, 9.2 assists, 8.3 rebounds, and 2.0 steals per game, was traded by the Spurs to the Hawks in exchange for Danilo Gallinari and a bunch of first-round selections.

Gallinari will allegedly be released by the Spurs, opening the door for him to join with the Celtics. The Spurs’ desire to rebuild is indicated by this trade and the one in which Derrick White was dealt to the Celtics at the 2022 trade deadline.

Before agreeing to such a pact, the teams concerned would need to overcome a few significant challenges. The first is Gregg Popovich’s protracted aversion to working with the Lakers. The previous time the Lakers and Spurs traded was in 1990 when Popovich was still Larry Brown’s assistant in San Antonio.

It was noted by Mark Heisler of The Orange County Register in 2018 that it was “one of Popovich’s cardinal principles not to aid Western Conference rivals. Much less one with the tradition and riches of the Lakers” while the Lakers were seeking to sign Kawhi Leonard. When the Lakers acquired Pau Gasol in 2008, Popovich publicly criticized the move, stating “what they did in Memphis is beyond comprehension.” Here, there is not much amity between the two parties.

 

 

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