It is no secret that Lakers vs Celtics is the NBA’s biggest rivalry, judging by their many championship battles from the 60’s to 2010. The last time these two met in the Finals, the series averaged 18.1 million viewers, which, at the time, was the highest-viewed Finals since Bulls vs Jazz in 1998.
The rivalry has mostly been dormant since then. However, that could change soon.
Rumors After the Request
Kyrie Irving has been eyeing a reunion with LeBron James on the Lakers. Kevin Durant, who requested a trade in late June, could reportedly land with the Boston Celtics, who are now “a desired destination.” All of this sets up another chapter between two of the greatest franchises in NBA history.
Shams Charania recently reported that tensions between Durant and Nets owner Joe Tsai have grown worse.
In a meeting with Nets owner Joe Tsai, Kevin Durant reiterated his trade request and informed Tsai that Tsai needs to choose between Durant or the pairing of general manager Sean Marks and coach Steve Nash, sources say.
Story: https://t.co/W1voNf9MDC
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 8, 2022
Likewise, Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports wrote an exclusive piece about LeBron James’s meeting with head coach Darvin Ham and the rest of the Lakers’ brass. It included a commitment from Rob Pelinka to make LA competitive for the rest of James’s tenure with the team. He hopes that the all-time great retires as a Laker.
Could This Work?
The paths to Durant and Irving winding up on their preferred teams seems straightforward. As Dylan Guest noted in his article, trading Jaylen Brown for the two-time champion and 12-time All-Star is ideal for both sides. Likewise, a Russell Westbrook for Kyrie Irving trade is picture-perfect for the Lakers and the Nets. However, everything in the NBA is complicated.
Although a Brown-Durant swap could work in theory, we are left to wonder if the Celtics would do the deal after coming two wins short of their 18th championship. Additionally, the talks between the Lakers and Nets have grown more complex by the week. The Athletic’s Jovan Buha speculated that the Lakers could now be willing to include another first-round pick. Plus, there is a chance a third team could absorb Westbrook’s salary.
If everything goes according to plan, the league and its fans are in for a show. LeBron, Anthony Davis, and Kyrie taking on Jayson Tatum, Kevin Durant, and Marcus Smart.
How incredible would this storyline be? Two disgruntled superstars go their separate ways after their title aspirations together fall through. Their trade requests are eventually granted, and they wind up playing for prominent franchises who just happen to be the NBA’s biggest rivalry. It’s something that not even Spielberg could write.
For now, though, it is a dream in the heads of Lakers and Celtics fans across the world. With the way things are trending, however, it just might turn into reality. The anticipation and ratings would skyrocket, and the world would watch closely as Durant and Irving try to outduel each other in a series that means a little more.
