NBA Trade Rumors: Examining a potential Kyrie-Kemba-Melo trade

NBA Trade Rumors: Examining a potential Kyrie-Kemba-Melo trade and how a trade involving only one draft pick could help all three teams in the long run

With the latest rumor that Kyrie Irving wants out of Cleveland, it may be time to stop hypothesizing Kevin Love trades, and begin offering Irving, a much more sought after asset.

Of course everything is hypothetical at the point. Before everything, it should be noted that Irving’s preferred destinations are the New York Knicks, Miami Heat, San Antonio Spurs and Minnesota Timberwolves, per ESPN’s Chris Haynes.

Now that the facts are established, here’s a trade simulation that worked:

First and foremost, second year player Treveon Graham, third year Briante Weber, and fourth year Johnny O’Bryant should not be confused as “pie sweeteners.” They are merely in this trade as salary fillers, because the Hornets need to shed approximately $3 million to add Kyrie Irving’s salary.

After August 1st, when the 30 Day Rule no longer applies, the Hornets would be able to alternatively trade Malik Monk – who the Knicks had reportedly considered drafting – to the Knicks along with any one of the three players above, to make the salaries work. As nice of a prospect as Monk – or the Hornets’ 2018 1st round pick – may be, this trade doesn’t center around them, or even Channing Frye and Iman Shumpert, who are also predominantly salary fillers to enable the Cavaliers to add salary.

This trade revolves around Kyrie, Carmelo Anthony, and Kemba Walker.

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Let’s examine why each team would do this trade.

Knicks

No one believes the Knicks’ don’t still want to trade Melo. Having seen the miniscule returns the Indiana Pacers and Chicago Bulls received for Paul George and Jimmy Butler, the asking price for a significantly older and defensively challenged ball stopper must be significantly lower.

The Knicks would likely take a package involving either Malik Monk, or Charlotte’s next available first round pick. Bringing back Iman Shumpert’s defense – and amazing hair – would likely be a net positive as well, as the team attempts to change it’s identity on the less glamorous end of the floor.

Hornets

If Kyrie wants to be the best player on a team, that team in all likelihood is not going to make the playoffs in the Western Conference. The barren East, however, offers greater opportunities. The Hornets have several overpaid players under contract through at least 2019 in Dwight Howard, Nicholas Batum, Marvin Williams, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Cody Zeller, which will prevent them from making any free agency splashes the next few summers.

Kyrie represents enough of an upgrade over Kemba Walker – and has an extra year on his contract – to make the Hornets a perennial playoff team. Trading three players whose names you already forgot and a first round pick is well worth that.

Cavaliers

It is no secret that LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony want to play together. Melo is no longer a superstar, but Kemba Walker is close enough to Uncle Drew’s level that essentially trading two fringe All-Stars for the Flat Earther is a net positive.

Must Read: Kyrie Irving Demands Trade From Cleveland Cavaliers

The Cavaliers are in win-now mode, and adding two 20+ points per game scorers would be a pretty serious win-now move.