NBA Rumors: Kyrie Irving Could Swing Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis Sweepstakes In 2019 Offseason

Kevin Durant and Kawhi Leonard will be the best players available in free agency, but another star might ultimately have the greatest impact on the landscape of the NBA going forward. Kyrie Irving has been linked to several possible destinations, and his decision will affect both the free agent and trade market.

There appear to be four legitimate contenders for Irving: the Boston Celtics, New York Knicks, Los Angeles Lakers and Brooklyn Nets. A couple of those teams could all but ensure that they will acquire another All-Star if they are able to sign Irving.

Boston is at the top of that list. They’ve still got the best possible trade offer or Anthony Davis—he remains likely to be traded at some point, even after the New Orleans Pelicans won the draft lottery—but the Celtics’ willingness to actually make that offer probably depends on Irving.

If Irving re-signs with the Celtics, Boston will bet on Davis staying with the team beyond 2020. If Irving heads elsewhere, the Celtics are unlikely to surrender all their assets for a player that could leave as a free agent after one season.

The Athletic’s Frank Isola recently reported that Celtics general manager Danny Ainge believes Irving will stay if the team trades for Davis. Irving might be the most unpredictable star in the NBA, and the odds of him returning to Boston seemingly plummeted when the team was eliminated from the second round of the playoffs in just five games.

Rumors of Irving’s intention to sign with the Knicks have picked up steam since the Celtics’ season ended. That’s good news for New York, who might need the point guard’s signature in order to land the real prize of the summer.

SNY’s Ian Begley said on the latest episode of “The Bank Shot” podcast with John Schmeelk that he doesn’t believe Durant will sign with the Knicks unless another star commits to playing in New York. The Knicks might have that same feeling, considering they traded Kristaps Porzingis to the Dallas Mavericks in January simply to create space for a second max contract on their payroll.

That second star doesn’t necessarily have to be Irving. Kemba Walker is a somewhat comparable player that will be available in free agency. Maybe Jimmy Butler will be an option for New York.

Irving, however, represents the Knicks’ best candidate to be Durant’s teammate. His departure from Boston could also help New York leapfrog the Celtics in the Anthony Davis Sweepstakes.

A trio of Durant, Irving and Davis in New York is a realistic possibility. Everyone seems to believe the Golden State Warriors’ star has his eyes on the Big Apple, and the Knicks can put together a compelling trade package for the Pelicans centered on the No.3 overall draft pick.

That dream scenario could crumble if Irving doesn’t come to the Knicks. It might even put the Knicks’ pursuit of Durant in jeopardy.

The idea of Durant and Irving pairing up in Brooklyn as opposed to Manhattan has floated around throughout the season. ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith has reported that those close to the point guard are imploring him to choose a much more stable Brooklyn franchise. The New York Times’ Marc Stein told Smith that the two players will consider the Nets as much as the Knicks.

The Nets finished 25 games ahead of the Knicks in the standings and made the playoffs. They’ve got some talented young players, and much has been made about their new winning culture, something the Knicks certainly haven’t established.

Salary cap limitations, however, present obstacles for the Nets. Signing Irving would mean saying goodbye to D’Angelo Russell, who is a restricted free agent after making the All-Star team and four years younger than Irving. In order to sign two max free agents, Brooklyn would have to clear more cap space, which likely means finding a taker for Allen Crabbe's $18.5 million salary next season.

Russell’s presence could make a union between Irving and Brooklyn an unlikely one. If the former NBA champion leaves the Celtics and doesn’t sign with the Knicks, the Lakers might be the destination that makes the most sense.

It appears that Irving has come a long way from not wanting to be LeBron James’ teammate, which is what forced the Cleveland Cavaliers to send him to Boston two years ago. Irving has acknowledged how difficult being a team’s leader has been, and he even apologized to James for his previous behavior. More and more reports suggest that Irving would be open to the idea of reuniting with the Lakers’ star.

Los Angeles has one max salary slot available this summer. They are reportedly not at the top of the list of any of the most-coveted free agents. The Pelicans still reportedly don’t want to send Davis to L.A.

Irving could be the Lakers’ best hope to build an immediate contender. The LeBron James era in Los Angeles might end up being a disaster, otherwise.

The Lakers will also pursue Durant, Leonard and Klay Thompson as they attempt to pair a star alongside James.

Durant is more likely to choose the Los Angeles Clippers or one of the New York teams. The Clippers and Toronto Raptors are reportedly at the top of Leonard’s list. It will be stunning if Thompon leaves Golden State.

Nothing that Irving decides will be all that surprising, but it might end up tipping the balance of power in the NBA for the next several seasons.