Report: Nets trade Crabbe to Hawks, clear space for Kyrie pursuit

The Brooklyn Nets are trading guard Allen Crabbe, their No. 17 pick in the upcoming draft, and a lottery-protected 2020 first-round selection to the Atlanta Hawks for forward Taurean Prince and a 2021 second-rounder, sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Wojnarowski, citing league sources, reports that Boston Celtics point guard Kyrie Irving - who is expected to hit free agency - and Brooklyn have a strong mutual interest, and Thursday's deal effectively opens up an additional max slot for the Nets.

They will have approximately $46 million in cap space if they choose to retain All-Star point guard D'Angelo Russell.

However, the Nets' dream scenario would be to land Golden State Warriors star Kevin Durant in addition to Irving, Wojnarowski adds.

Crabbe is set to make $18.5 million as he enters the final season of his deal. The Hawks had the cap space to take on his salary and did so to add two first-round picks to their assets.

The deal reduces the Hawks' space from an estimated $41 million to $23 million.

Atlanta now has three first-round picks in 2019 (No. 8, 10, and 17) and potentially another three in 2020 - it owns the Cleveland Cavaliers' top-10 protected pick, too. The Hawks also own spots No. 35, 41, and 44 in the second round of the 2019 draft.