NBA Rumors: Nets Could Pair Kyrie Irving With 76ers' Star If Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard Go Elsewhere

The Brooklyn Nets should have plenty of options this summer. After creating a ton of cap space in a trade with the Atlanta Hawks, New York’s second team is hoping to add multiple players that will turn them into an immediate championship contender.

Plan A involves signing two stars to max contracts. That means going after Kawhi Leonard and Kyrie Irving. The team’s pursuit of Kevin Durant might have been affected by his recent Achilles injury, though the Golden State Warriors’ star is still expected to get max offers this summer.

The Nets would probably gladly sign Durant if they can’t land both Leonard and Irving. Leonard is more likely to sign with the Los Angeles Clippers or Toronto Raptors. The latest rumors indicate Irving will probably decide to play in Brooklyn.

If Irving is the only one of those three players that agrees to join the Nets, Brooklyn can still have an incredibly successful offseason.

It’s been reported that the Nets are considering the possibility of signing both Irving and D’Angelo Russell. Brooklyn would have one of the NBA’s most talented backcourts, though it’s unknown if they would exactly make for a great basketball fit.

Russell is a restricted free agent. Brooklyn will renounce his rights if they sign two stars.

Pairing Irving with a second-tier free agent that didn’t make the 2019 All-Star team could significantly improve the Nets for next season. Signing one of the Philadelphia 76ers’ top free agents seems to be a realistic scenario.

According to The Athletic’s Michael Scotto, Tobias Harris and the Nets have a mutual interest in each other. Scotto noted that Harris is from Long Island, where he was coached in high school by the brother of Brooklyn head coach Kenny Atkinson.

Russell arguably had a better season than Harris this past year. Harris unquestionably fits the Nets’ roster better. Brooklyn could use an upgrade at power forward. The team has strong depth at guard with Caris Levert and Spencer Dinwiddie under contract.

When Philadelphia traded for Harris in February, the team said it hoped to sign both Harris and Jimmy Butler to long-term contracts. That doesn’t seem likely, given what it would cost the 76ers in luxury tax penalties over the next few seasons.

Maybe Harris will stay with the 76ers and it’ll be Jimmy Butler that leaves for the Nets. That’s probably a scenario that would be just fine with Irving.

The Chicago Sun-Times reported last summer that Irving and Butler were looking for a way to play together, specifically in the Eastern Conference.

ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith has reported that Irving would try to convince Durant to join him with the Nets. The point guard could settle for playing alongside Butler, who was an All-Star in each season from 2015-2018.

Harris averaged 18.2 points, 7.9 rebounds and 2.9 assists in 27 regular-season games with Philadelphia. Butler had averages of 18.2 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.0 assists in 55 games with the 76ers.