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According to Stephen A. Smith, ESPN's Stephen A. Smith, the Brooklyn Nets may have traded Kyrie Irving to Philadelphia 76ers for Ben Simmons in a blockbuster deal, but Kevin Durant reportedly refused to let that happen.
Smith stated Wednesday on First Take that Kyrie could have ended in Philly. "[Nets general manger] Sean Marks couldn’t do that because KD wasn’t having it. ... I can assure you that if Kevin Durant wasn't there, the Brooklyn Nets would be interested.
Doc Rivers, Philadelphia's head coach, confirmed that Simmons wanted to be traded on First Take
Rivers stated that Simmons is wanted back by the team.
From a basketball perspective, a Simmons-Irving swap would be logical, even between Eastern Conference contenders.
To relieve Joel Embiid of the pressure and free up space inside, the 76ers require more perimeter scoring. Irving averaged 26.9 point per game last season and shot 40.2 percent from 3-point range. He is also one of the most skilled shot-creators in the league.
The 76ers would have a feared tandem inside-outside that is more like Simmons and Embiid.
Durant and James Harden are two of the Nets' elite scorers. Simmons could be a valuable addition to the defensive end of the court, having been awarded first-team All - Defensive honors the past two seasons. This move could allow Simmons to become a more versatile player and not just a scoring option.
According to Nick Wright, Fox Sports, Irving would be retiring if there was a deal, even though it would make both teams more successful.
Durant seems to also not want to lose his point guard position after they joined the team in 2019.
Brooklyn was unable to meet expectations last season due to injuries, but the players seem to believe that they have what it takes for a title.
