NBA Rumors Roundup: Brooklyn Nets star guard was discussed as a potential trade candidate by LA Lakers, Raptors interested in 3-time DPOY, and more | May 7th, 2022

The LA Lakers and Brooklyn Nets will be the two teams expected to be heavily involved in NBA rumors throughout the offseason.

Both franchises were expected to make a run for the championship but endured a difficult end to their respective seasons. The Lakers failed to make it to the play-in tournament. Meanwhile, the Nets were swept in round one of the 2022 NBA playoffs by the Boston Celtics.

Aside from LeBron James and Kevin Durant, the other stars on the Lakers and the Nets haven't been as consistent, either with their performances or availability, resulting in their names frequently popping up in potential trade scenarios and rumors.

On that note, let's take a look at some of the recent headlines dominating the NBA rumors.

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LA Lakers discussed a potential Kyrie Irving trade when he was suspended

Brooklyn Nets v Boston Celtics - Game Two

The Brooklyn Nets were looking for suitors for Kyrie Irving when they suspended the guard because of his anti-vaccination stance earlier during the 2021-22 NBA season. The Nets eventually decided to recall the seven-time All-Star amid a Covid outbreak in their camp after Christmas Eve.

New York City officials lifted their vaccination mandates for athletes before the playoffs, and now the majority of trade talks circling Irving have been paused. A surprise report from the past has emerged, though, which stated that some within the LA Lakers organization discussed the possibility of acquiring Irving.

Here's what SNY TV's Ian Begley wrote about this recently:

"Several outlets, including SNY, reported that the Nets had been open to talking to teams about potential Irving trades during that time. Obviously, nothing came to fruition. But some members of the Lakers organization discussed the possibility of trading for Irving during that stretch of the season, sources say."

Irving had previously played alongside LeBron James and won a championship. The duo helped the Cavs reach three NBA Finals in a row, so the pairing could've turned out to be successful if a blockbuster trade had gone through. However, the Lakers would've had to part with Anthony Davis in a potential trade deal for Irving, which isn't something Rob Pelinka and Co. would've strongly considered.

Lakers interview former NBA Western Conference head coaches Terry Stotts and Mark Jackson

Golden State Warriors v Los Angeles Clippers - Game Five

The LA Lakers are speeding up their search for a new head coach. After reports emerged that they had requested to interview Bucks assistant coach Darvin Ham and Raptors assistant coach Adrian Griffin, the latest NBA rumors suggest the Purple and Gold have interviewed veteran head coaches Terry Stotts and Mark Jackson.

Here's what ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported regarding the Lakers' interviewing former Trail Blazers coach Stotts:

"The Los Angeles Lakers interviewed former Portland Trail Blazers coach Terry Stotts for the franchise's coaching job on Friday, sources told ESPN. Stotts joins the Lakers' search process as a candidate with a history of playoff consistency, offensive creativity and an ability to build relationships with his star players."

Meanwhile, news regarding Mark Jackson's interview with the Lakers was first reported by The Athletic's Shams Charania. Here's what he stated regarding this:

"The Los Angeles Lakers have interviewed former Golden State Warriors coach Mark Jackson for their head coaching job, sources tell @TheAthletic@Stadium. Jackson is among the finalists for the Sacramento Kings head coach opening."

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Toronto Raptors interested in Rudy Gobert

Dallas Mavericks v Utah Jazz - Game Six

The Utah Jazz are another team frequently mentioned in NBA rumors of late. They failed to make a deep playoff push yet again, losing their round one series into the 2022 NBA playoffs against the Dallas Mavericks. The Jazz may look to shake up their roster in the hopes of getting past the second round next season.

The pairing of Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert hasn't turned out to be successful. It looks likely that the Jazz may opt to trade one of these stars. Gobert makes the most sense, considering he is an older player and is also on a supermax deal.

Plenty of teams will be looking for a star-caliber center. As per SNY TV's Ian Begley, the Toronto Raptors are among teams that have "some degree" of interest in acquitting Rudy Gobert. Here's what Begley's report stated:

"The Toronto Raptors are among the teams who would have a degree of interest in trading for him if he’s made available, sources say."