News of Kyrie Irving's reported trade request broke the internet on Friday, so it wasn't much of a surprise when talk turned to which teams might try to acquire the talented but controversial player.

According to multiple reports, the Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, Dallas Mavericks and Phoenix Suns are among the teams believed to have interest:

It isn't hard to make a case for the Lakers coveting Irving.

For one, the Russell Westbrook experiment has been an abject disaster, even if he's played better in a role off the bench. Irving would be a huge upgrade in that regard and has experience playing off the ball alongside LeBron James. His excellent perimeter shooting would also mesh far better than Westbrook's struggles from range.

But a few major hurdles remain.

For one, Westbrook's and Irving's salaries don't line up, with the former making about $11 million more. So the Nets would actually have to send additional salary out in a straight-up deal, but that brings up the other kicker: The Nets would almost assuredly want Westbrook kicked off to a third team, given his history with Kevin Durant and his atrocious potential fit next to non-shooter Ben Simmons.

So any deal between the Lakers and Nets would be complicated.

The Heat are a curious suitor in that Irving doesn't exactly fit the mold of the "bring your lunchpail to work" Heat culture. It would also likely revolve around the declining Kyle Lowry heading the other way, which may not move the needle for the Nets, especially since Tyler Herro essentially can't be dealt.

The Mavs are a fascinating option. Irving would scratch two itches: He'd be the true superstar pairing for Luka Dončić that the team has yet to provide for their young franchise cornerstone, and he'd fill the void at point guard after Jalen Brunson's departure as a free agent.

The Mavericks also have an assortment of movable salaries to mix and match in any deal, though it remains to be seen what sort of package the Nets would deem acceptable.

And then there are the Suns. It's fair to question how well a threesome of Chris Paul, Devin Booker and Irving would coexist, but that would be a team with frightening firepower.

The logical centerpiece to such a deal would be DeAndre Ayton, but that might require a third team get involved:

Another general consideration is whether Irving's history, including his decision not to get vaccinated for COVID-19 and his refusal to apologize or denounce antisemitism after amplifying an antisemitic movie on his social media platforms last year, will impact his trade value. The Nets aren't likely to get the sort of return a player of Irving's ability fetches.

And, of course, the ultimate wild card in this situation is whether Kevin Durant also decides he wants out, similar to his feelings over the summer. The Nets navigated that storm, but Irving has the seas churning and heaving around the organization yet again.