Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving to Philly? 76ers on Irving’s list, Durant considering options

It’s draft night in the NBA, and for the 76ers they own the 23rd overall pick. As preparations evolve, a surprising developments have arrived surrounding two stars.

For a while, reports have emerged alleging that contract negotiations between the Nets and star point guard Kyrie Irving had hit an obstacle. Now, reports have tied the seven-time All-Star to Philadelphia.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the 76ers are on the list of teams Irving would think of if he cannot agree on a new contract with Brooklyn.

Along with the Sixers, Irving would consider the Los Angeles Lakers or Clippers, the New York Knicks, the Miami Heat, and the Dallas Mavericks. That’s a good list where most teams can offer the Nets more than the Sixers assuming Tyrese Maxey continues to be off the table.

For Irving to come to the Sixers, the offers for him would have to be implausible. The Nets would have to be willing to send a second superstar to Philly in the same year after they traded James Harden at the trade deadline last season, and most importantly, Philadelphia would have to be interested in the very controversial 30-year-old.

While getting a player as skillful as Irving is for sure a priority for the Sixers, Irving may not exactly be at the top of that list. In part, due to the lack of availability, he’s displayed over the past three seasons, and also due to his poor relationship with Harden.

It’s basically a surprise that Philadelphia even appeared on Irving’s list in the first place because of all these situations. Something even more interesting is how this relates to Kevin Durant’s relationship with the Nets organization.

According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, Durant is paying very close attention to this situation and there’s potential that the outcome could affect his future with the Nets.

As intriguing as Irving may be to some, Durant should be even more so.

Durant is not only a more established player, but he comes with a lot fewer cautions. It is important to halt as it is certainly far too early to suggest any connection between Durant and Philly, but there is no doubt that president of basketball operations Daryl Morey sees what is happening.

This offseason is only getting more interesting by the minute, and it should be engaging what the Sixers do.