The Brooklyn Nets may not have given any indication that they are planning to move All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving before the 2021 trade deadline, but he continues to be mentioned in various trade speculations . One of the latest scenarios involving Uncle Drew is the one that would enable him to form an explosive backcourt duo with Devin Booker on the Phoenix Suns. In the proposed trade deal by Greg Patuto of NBA Analysis Network , the Suns would be sending a package that includes Chris Paul, Cameron Johnson, Jalen Smith, a 2021 first-round pick, and a 2023 first-round pick to the Nets in exchange for Irving and Spencer Dinwiddie.
The suggested scenario only has a minimal chance of happening in the 2020-21 NBA season, but if it pushed through, Patuto believes that it would benefit the Suns and the Nets. For Phoenix, the proposed deal would make a lot of sense if they want to further strengthen their chances of fully dominating the loaded Western Conference and bringing home the Larry O’Brien Trophy this year.
“A duo of Kyrie Irving and Devin Booker in the backcourt would be extremely entertaining to watch and is something that could prepare the Suns for the postseason. If the return is something that they can manage, Phoenix could look into this deal. This is a trade that would show that the Suns are serious about contending right away. The Western Conference is extremely difficult and this trade could get the suns to where they need to be.”
Irving would be a major upgrade over Paul at the Suns’ starting point guard position. His arrival in Phoenix would lessen the loads on Booker’s shoulder in terms of scoring and playmaking, giving the Suns another player who could step up and take charge of the offense in crucial situations. Having Uncle Drew on their roster would also allow Booker to focus on improving his catch-and-shoot skills.
Meanwhile, for the Nets, the hypothetical blockbuster would enable them to replenish some of the assets that they lost when they acquired James Harden while replacing Irving with another All-Star caliber floor general. Paul may no longer but in his prime, but a pass-first point guard like him could end up being a much better fit with prolific scorers like Harden and Kevin Durant.
Paul wouldn’t have a hard time making himself comfortable in Brooklyn since he would be reuniting with some familiar faces there, including his former Houston Rockets teammate, Harden, and former Los Angeles Clippers pick-and-roll partner, DeAndre Jordan. Though he wouldn’t publicly admit it, Paul would likely love to spend his remaining years in the league playing for a team that has a realistic chance of contending for the NBA championship title.