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Kyrie Irving's trade value appears to be at an all-time low.

ESPN's Zach Lowe said on his The Lowe Post podcast on Wednesday (around the 25-minute mark) that Irving is considered "radioactive" around the NBA:

I talked to a lot of people around the league over the weekend, and the sense I get right now is he's radioactive. Even if you drop the price to nothing, the baggage is just too much. And you want to talk about how the Lakers are the most desperate team in the league. All right, the Lakers also play in a gigantic cosmopolitan city. All of the residents are following this story. I just don't know what else they're supposed to do except try to salvage and you're telling me it's unsalvageable.

The combination of Irving's general unreliability throughout his career and his looming free agency already had his trade value far lower than it normally might be for a player of his immense talent. But Irving's decision to share a link to an antisemitic film on social media last week likely further fueled the reluctance of NBA teams to consider pursuing him via a trade.

It didn't help that Irving defended his decision publicly.

"Did I do anything illegal? Did I hurt anybody, did I harm anybody? Am I going out and saying that I hate one specific group of people?" Irving said during a contentious press conference following Saturday's game. "It's on Amazon, a public platform. Whether you want to go watch it or not is up to you. There's things being posted every day. I'm no different than the next human being, so don't treat me any different."

The Nets and team governor Joe Tsai spoke out against Irving's posts, however.

“The Brooklyn Nets strongly condemn and have no tolerance for the promotion of any form of hate speech,” the team said in a statement to CNN. "We believe that in these situations, our first action must be open, honest dialogue. We thank those, including the ADL (Anti-Defamation League), who have been supportive during this time."

This is bigger than basketball

— Joe Tsai (@joetsai1999) October 29, 2022

When Irving is on the court, he's been excellent, averaging 26.9 points, 5.1 assists and 5.1 rebounds this season. He's a seven-time All-Star, won the 2016 NBA championship with the Cleveland Cavaliers and is one of the game's most talented scorers.

But his time in Brooklyn alongside Kevin Durant has not translated to the level of success that was expected, and the Nets have started this season at just 2-6, leading to the decision of the Nets and former head coach Steve Nash to part ways.

The Lakers, mired in a poor start of their own (1-5), were one of the main teams rumored to be in the Irving trade market over the summer. But even with all of the issues the Lakers have, trading for Irving may not be the sort of public relations the team is looking for.

Grant Williams wanted to land a long-term contract extension with the Boston Celtics before the start of the 2022-23 season, but he's not sweating his impending free agency.

"For me, it was a disappointment," Williams told Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium. "But you know how much you've worked. You let your work show, and who knows? You might be able to get a better deal than you were in the contract negotiations in the first place."

Celtics forward and NBPA VP Grant Williams sits down with @Stadium: “(No extension) is disappointment but you know how much you’ve worked...You may be able to get a better deal.” Also: Mental health, CBA, 3-star recruit to impact NBA player, new shoe deal with Jordan Brand, more. pic.twitter.com/RZofjDNtuZ

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 2, 2022

Williams will be a restricted free agent next July since he and the Celtics failed to reach a rookie extension before the start of the regular season. The fourth-year forward is off to a stellar start to the 2022-23 campaign, averaging a career-high 9.6 points and 4.0 rebounds while shooting a jaw-dropping 69.6 percent from the floor.

That level of historic efficiency won't continue—his 66.7 percent mark from three-point range would blast every conceivable NBA record—but he's slowly developed into a quality two-way role player. Williams has enough length and quickness to overcome his 6'6" frame at the 4, using his on-court smarts and switchability to provide solid team defense while stretching the floor on the offensive end.

Contracts like Williams' tend to be the most difficult to negotiate. He's decidedly not a max player and almost certainly will never develop into one. That said, he's 23 years old and has improved in all four of his NBA seasons. Williams wants to be paid like someone who will continue that developmental trajectory, while the Celtics are understandably wary of breaking the bank for someone who tops out as a role player.

The most likely scenario is Boston allows Williams to hit restricted free agency and allows the market to dictate his worth.

As the Brooklyn Nets scramble to turn their season around amid a 2-6 start, the team has already had a trade conversation with another team about Ben Simmons.

Per SNY's Ian Begley (starts at 3:12 mark), the Nets having "cursory" trade talks in an attempt to find more shooting and Simmons' name was brought up "in at least one conversation" with a Western Conference team.

On @GEICO SportsNite, @IanBegley joins @emacSNY from Barclays Center to discuss Steve Nash parting ways with the Nets, including why the decision was made, and why Ime Udoka is being considered with all the dysfunction already happening in Brooklyn https://t.co/rj0DBEJjz0 pic.twitter.com/JCbzWgUHjb

— SNY (@SNYtv) November 2, 2022

The Nets look like a sinking ship desperately trying to find a life boat anywhere in the ocean.

The fallout from Kyrie Irving posting a since-deleted link on Twitter to a documentary containing antisemitic messaging and a defensive exchange with reporters during a postgame press conference about the post over the weekend continues, even though he hasn't been disciplined by the Nets or NBA at this point.

Prior to Tuesday's game against the Chicago Bulls, head coach Steve Nash and the Nets announced a parting of ways.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Brooklyn is expected to hire Ime Udoka as Nash's replacement in the coming days. Udoka was suspended for this season by the Boston Celtics in September for "violations of team policies."

Per Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, Udoka was accused of "making unwanted comments" toward a Celtics female employee who team leadership originally believed was in a consensual relationship with the coach.

Adding to all of those off-court issues, the on-court product in Brooklyn has been abysmal thus far.

The Nets are tied with the Detroit Pistons for the second-worst record in the Eastern Conference. Their average point differential of minus-6.8 is the fourth-worst mark in the NBA.

Simmons has struggled to round back into form after missing the entire 2021-22 season due to mental health issues and back injuries. The three-time All-Star has made six starts, but has yet to score more than nine points in a game, has fouled out twice and is shooting a career-low 44.1 percent from the field.

The Nets have the third-highest payroll in the NBA this season at $181.2 million and have an estimated $108 million luxury-tax payment.

Expectations are high for Anthony Edwards in his third season, but the Minnesota Timberwolves guard has been inconsistent through eight games.

One thing that's been noticeably absent from Edwards' performance thus far is finishing at the rim with a dunk.

"I feel like I lost some of my powers," Edwards told Chris Hine of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.

Per Basketball-Reference.com, Edwards has attempted 156 field goals with no dunks this season. He had 128 dunks in the previous two seasons combined.

https://twitter.com/Timberwolves/status/1362972303303221254

There have been questions about Edwards' conditioning during the offseason. Karl-Anthony Towns publicly criticized his teammates' eating habits after a loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Oct. 24, the second night of a back-to-back.

"Maybe I could do a better job of teaching him how to take care of his body—diet and everything," Towns told reporters. "That’ll be on me. I know y’all think it’s funny up here when he talks about Popeyes and all that s--t. That doesn’t make me happy to hear. We’re high-level athletes."

Hine noted Edwards said last week he was working on conditioning to get his "legs back."

The 21-year-old is averaging career-highs across the board, including scoring (23.1 points per game), rebounding (6.1), assists (4.0), field-goal percentage (44.9) and three-point percentage (36.9). But he's also turning the ball over 3.1 times per game, up from 2.6 last season.

Minnesota's ceiling this season and beyond will depend largely on Edwards developing into a superstar. The team paid a steep price in draft picks to acquire Rudy Gobert.

The T-Wolves are only 4-4 through eight games, but it's still early. Edwards can play himself back into prime shape as the season goes along, which will allow him to throw down those poster dunks he was known for over the previous two years.

Russell Westbrook's future with the Los Angeles Lakers beyond this season is murky, but that didn't stop him from planting his roots in the L.A. area.

According to ESPN's Jeremy Willis, Westbrook recently purchased a $33.5 million mansion in Los Angeles Westside, which is the same neighborhood where his Lakers teammate LeBron James resides.

The home, which was built in 2018, was purchased from Petra Ecclestone, who is the daughter of former Formula One chief executive Bernie Ecclestone.

Westbrook's investment will yield him a 13,500-square-foot space with eight bedrooms and 13 bathrooms, as well as a pool, spa and sundeck.

The 33-year-old Westbrook is a Long Beach, California, native who played his college basketball at UCLA, meaning he was familiar with the area before ever playing for the Lakers.

When Westbrook was still a member of the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2018, he purchased a $30 million mansion in the Brentwood area of L.A., and he is currently trying to sell it, per Willis.

After 11 seasons with the Thunder, one with the Houston Rockets and one with the Washington Wizards, Westbrook was traded to the Lakers prior to the 2021-22 season.

The hope was that Westbrook could form a Big Three with LeBron and Anthony Davis, but the plan didn't work as intended, as James and AD both missed time because of injury last season, and the Lakers finished below .500 and missed the playoffs.

While it seemed the Lakers would have preferred to move on, Westbrook exercised his $47.1 million player option to remain with L.A. this season.

The Lakers are off to a disappointing 1-5 start this season, and Westbrook has been moved into a bench role, which suggests the nine-time All-Star and likely future Hall of Famer won't be with the team beyond the current campaign.

The Brooklyn Nets reportedly aren't considering a blockbuster Kevin Durant trade in the immediate aftermath of head coach Steve Nash's departure from the organization.

Yahoo Sports' Vincent Goodwill reported Tuesday that Nets general manager Sean Marks doesn't "appear to be considering" a Durant trade because he's hopeful Ime Udoka, the favorite to take over as the team's new head coach, can "rescue" the franchise.

KD requested a trade in late June, but no team was able to meet Brooklyn's sky-high asking price, which led Marks to release a statement in August saying the sides had "agreed to move forward with our partnership" heading into the 2022-23 season.

Any hope the Nets could put the past few drama-filled years behind them to emerge as championship contenders had already began to fade during the early stages of the campaign, though. They own a 2-6 record, tied for the NBA's fourth-worst mark.

On Tuesday, the franchise announced it had mutually parted ways with Nash, who compiled a 94-67 record across two-plus seasons in Brooklyn.

"I've gotten to know Steve during his time in Brooklyn, and he is not one to shy away from challenges," team governor Joe Tsai said. "My admiration and respect for him grew over time as he brought hard work and positive attitude to our organization every day, even in periods of exceptional storm surrounding the team."

Nash's exit raised questions about whether the Nets were going to head toward a full-scale reconstruction of not only the coaching staff but also the roster. So far, it doesn't sound like that'll be the case.

The talent is there, led by Durant, Kyrie Irving and Ben Simmons, for Brooklyn to make some noise this season, but far too often the focus has been on something other than basketball since KD and Kyrie joined the organization as free agents in June 2019.

"Let's be real, we're pros, we're veterans. We had a tough start," Durant told reporters after Tuesday's loss to the Chicago Bulls. "It was a rocky year last year, rocky summer. We knew that everybody was being evaluated. That's just how it is in the league."

Now the Nets are seemingly about to pin their hopes of a turnaround on Udoka, who was suspended by the Boston Celtics in September for multiple violations of team policies. ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported an independent investigation found Udoka "crude language in his dialogue with a female subordinate prior to the start of an improper workplace relationship with the woman."

Udoka remained under contract with the Celtics despite the season-long suspension, meaning the organization had to green-light any interviews with other teams. Wojnarowski reported the C's wouldn't stop him from taking another job, though.

It would represent a Hail Mary attempt to salvage the Nets' push to win a title with their current core, which has fallen well short of expectations so far.

If Brooklyn can't right the ship following a coaching change, the front office may have no choice but to make large-scale changes next offseason.

Fledgling basketball league Overtime Elite has struck a media rights deal with Amazon for the next three years.

According to Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic, the agreement will see Amazon Prime Video live-stream 20 Overtime Elite games in each of the next three seasons, plus a season-long unscripted series will be created for Amazon and begin airing in the middle of next year.

Additionally, Amazon now has a stake in Overtime Elite, as it made a monetary investment in the league independent of the media rights deal.

Overtime Elite is an Atlanta-based league that launched last year and is serving as an alternative for talented high school players on their path to the NBA.

Rather than playing collegiately, overseas or in the NBA G League, prospects can play and get paid in the six-team Overtime Elite league in preparation for their next step professionally.

The deal with Amazon will see one-third of Overtime Elite's yearly games streamed on the platform, while the other two-thirds will stream elsewhere.

In addition to giving Overtime Elite more exposure, the deal expands Amazon's sports coverage, which already included agreements with the NFL and MLB.

The partnership will also give fans the chance to see a pair of potential NBA lottery picks play this season in the form of twin brothers Amen and Ausar Thompson.

The 6'7" guards are both expected to be first-round picks in the 2023 NBA draft, and Vorkunov noted that Amen could go as high as No. 2 overall behind only Frenchman Victor Wembanyama.

Despite being in its early stages, Overtime Elite has thrived thanks to the desire of basketball fans to see up-and-coming stars before they become household names.

With the Amazon deal in place, Overtime Elite games will be easier to consume, and the league's top players will be more familiar to the viewing audience once they reach the NBA.

Draymond Green tried to find a silver lining Tuesday night after the Golden State Warriors suffered their third straight loss, which dropped the reigning NBA champions' record to 3-5.

"I thought our energy was better at times," Green told reporters following a 116-109 road loss to the Miami Heat. "But we've still got to put it together and win games."

The veteran forward finished with five points, six rebounds, three assists and three steals in 32 minutes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3ORp7Rqo2Q

During the early stages of the 2022-23 campaign, Golden State hasn't looked anything like the team that rolled through last season's playoffs.

The Warriors rank tied for 19th in offensive efficiency and tied for 20th in defensive efficiency, illustrating the problems they're having at both ends of the floor.

Head coach Steve Kerr explained after Sunday's loss to the Detroit Pistons he hadn't "felt a sense of urgency" from within the roster to address the early-season woes.

"It takes a little time," Kerr said. "We'll get there. I am very confident in that. But our guys need to come together and there needs to be a sense of purpose. We have to figure out what that means."

The good news for Golden State is it's schedule, which is favorable during the first half of November and should give the star-studded squad a golden opportunity to start turning things around.

Upcoming games for the Dubs include two against the Sacramento Kings along with single matchups against the Orlando Magic, New Orleans Pelicans, Cleveland Cavaliers and San Antonio Spurs.

The Warriors should be aiming to go 4-2 or better during that stretch, which would get them back to .500 before the schedule toughens again later in the month.

A turnaround starts on defense, which was the team's calling card last year en route to the title. Golden State finished the 2021-22 regular season first in defensive efficiency.

If Green, a four-time NBA All-Defensive First Team selection, and Co. can get things figured out at that end, the team's offensive talent should begin to shine through with more transition opportunities.

Next up for the defending champs is a visit to the Amway Center for a clash with the Magic on Thursday.

In Stephen Curry's eyes, the Golden State Warriors are not living up to their elevated standard.

"There is frustration because we have a standard," he told reporters following Tuesday's 116-109 loss to the Miami Heat. "That's good because we've had championship banners to show for it, but that uneasiness puts you in a position where you have to figure it out. ... I hope everybody is frustrated with the results, but the process is pretty solid."

Those expectations are in place because Golden State is a modern-day dynasty.

It has won four of the last eight championships, with the most recent one coming last season with its NBA Finals victory over the Boston Celtics. Many of the same players are still on the roster, which meant the 2022-23 campaign took on a championship-or-bust tone right from the start.

Curry pointed out it will take something of a balancing act to turn things around and start to live up to those expectations:

Curry said the Warriors have to find the fine balance b/t playing with urgency to sort out their problems while not forcing anything and having patience while everything comes together.

"It's a weird concept, but having gone through this a couple times, we know what to do."

— Kendra Andrews (@kendra__andrews) November 2, 2022

The Warriors have lost three in a row and are 3-5 overall. While the Heat are presumed contenders this season, the other two losses in the current streak came against the Charlotte Hornets and Detroit Pistons.

It's hard to blame Curry for the latest loss considering he notched a triple-double of 23 points, 13 assists and 13 rebounds. He has been largely excellent again this season and entered play with averages of 31.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 1.4 steals while shooting 39.5 percent from deep.

Yet fellow Splash Brother Klay Thompson is averaging just 12.3 points a night while shooting 28.6 percent from deep. Draymond Green is shooting just 25.0 percent from three-point range, and Jordan Poole is second on the team in scoring at 17.9 points a night while coming off the bench.

Poole was just 1-of-7 from deep against the Heat, and the defense struggled yet again.

In fact, that defense is 25th in the league in defensive rating, per NBA.com, which is nowhere near championship level.

Fortunately for the Warriors, they still have plenty of time to turn things around since it is still early in the season. But Curry will eventually need more help on the offensive side, and the defense will need to take drastic strides if another championship is going to be in the cards.

Kevin Durant had six turnovers in Tuesday's 108-99 loss to the Chicago Bulls at Barclays Center, and he had a pretty simple explanation as to why he had so many giveaways.

"Every night I’m guarded by five players, so I’m going to turn the ball over," Durant told reporters after the loss. "I’m trying to be aggressive and trying to create stuff. The whole team is going to guard me throughout the whole season, so get used to my turnovers.”

Aside from the turnovers, Durant also notched 32 points, nine rebounds, six assists, one steal and two blocks in a loss that dropped Brooklyn to 2-6 on the season. He entered the game averaging 3.4 turnovers this season.

For comparison, Durant has never averaged more than 3.8 turnovers per game in his NBA career. That came in 2011-12 when he was a member of the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The 34-year-old didn't get much else from his other superstar teammate, Kyrie Irving, on Tuesday night. Irving finished with just four points, six rebounds and seven assists in 33 minutes in an uninspired performance.

Tuesday's game marked Brooklyn's first without Steve Nash, who was fired and replaced with interim head coach Jacque Vaughn. Firing Nash could have reinvigorated the squad, but it did anything but as the defense continues to struggle mightily.

Durant added after the game that he enjoyed working with Nash despite the ups-and-downs.

"Let's be real. We're pros. We're veterans," Durant told reporters. "We had a tough start ... We knew that everybody was being evaluated. That's just how it is in the league. I liked working with Steve."

The Nets have the NBA's third-worst defensive rating at 118.3, and unless the defense tightens up, it's hard to imagine Brooklyn competing with some of the Eastern Conference's top teams, such as the Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks and Cleveland Cavaliers.

Brooklyn will look to turn things around against the Washington Wizards on Friday before facing the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday.