Although a couple other teams were briefly linked to Nets guard Kyrie Irving since free agency began, his trade market appears to be “Lakers or bust,” according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. With Irving apparently generating little interest as a trade chip, both he and the Nets are sending out signals that they’re willing to continue their relationship.
Appearing on ESPN’s Get Up on Wednesday (video link), Brian Windhorst said the “vibe” coming out of Brooklyn is that the Nets are comfortable entering the fall with both Irving and Kevin Durant still on their roster.
“This could be a negotiating position, or it could be a smart decision if you don’t like the trade offers that you have,” Windhorst said. “The market for Durant has not been as lucrative as the Nets were hoping, and the market for Kyrie is very thin. It’s essentially the Lakers and the trade offer isn’t great. If you don’t like what you have, do you just sort of close ranks and look at restarting it?”
Meanwhile, a source close to Irving tells Brian Lewis of The New York Post that Irving hasn’t asked to be traded and has “every intention” of playing for the Nets in 2022/23.
“How did we get into this situation about (a) trade, when he opted in?” Lewis’ source said. “Here is the situation: He opted in, which means he had and he has every intention of playing with the Brooklyn Nets. KD decides he wants out and now everybody is talking about trading Kyrie, right?
“Kyrie has not asked for a trade. Now, if the Nets don’t want him, that’s something totally different. Kyrie has not said he wants a trade. He opted in. (So where did) the trade conversations come from? Is it because, KD requested a trade and now everybody’s like, ‘Let’s trade Ky?’ Kyrie opted in.”
It’s true that there has been no indication Irving has explicitly requested a trade like Durant has, but it’s still hard to take the source’s comments at face value.
Reporting from several outlets in June indicated that Irving was seriously exploring other destinations and only opted into his contract with the Nets after it became clear that none of the teams on his wish list were prepared to make him a lucrative, long-term offer in free agency. Since then, multiple reports have suggested Kyrie would like to end up with the Lakers.
Still, even if the comments from Lewis’ source are an attempt by Irving to save face and win the PR battle, the fact that the All-Star guard is apparently open to spending 2022/23 in Brooklyn is good news for the team. It means the Nets shouldn’t feel any pressure to accept the Lakers’ best offer for Irving if it falls short of their asking price.
Here’s more on Irving:
- The Lakers don’t want to give up multiple first-round picks to trade Russell Westbrook, league sources tell Scotto. The belief, as Lewis writes, is that the Nets are seeking two first-rounders from L.A. (2027 and 2029) in any swap involving Westbrook and Irving.
- One member of the Mavericks organization believes Irving would want to play for Dallas head coach Jason Kidd, whom he idolized growing up, according to Scotto. However, Scotto confirms that the Mavs don’t appear to have any real interest in trading for Kyrie, as Bleacher Report and the Dallas Morning News previously reported.
- Rival executives and league insiders are “split” on whether the Lakers will be able to pull off a deal for Irving, writes Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times. Many of those insiders believe any L.A. trade for Kyrie will be on hold until the Nets resolve Durant’s trade request, according to Woike, who wonders if the team could pivot to other targets like Buddy Hield or Eric Gordon instead of waiting on Irving.
Wait what? Didn’t the Nets give him permission to seek a trade already? I swear that was reported weeks ago.
Irving found out he is not wanted as much as he thinks he is wanted besides the lakers. He will end up playing out the season and next year sign with lakers when Westbrook retires.
@Arc
sarcasm? Westbrook isn’t retiring anytime soon. He’s never getting anywhere near $25 mil likely but someone will want him.
I truly don’t understand why he couldn’t adapt to playing without the ball the way most athletic small forwards can. LBJ will get you the ball you just have to do what he does best and that’s get to the rim and finish or pass it back out. Use that chip on his soldier to play some D.
I think I remember the same thing….
If I were the Nets, I would trade him to Detroit or Houston, somewhere where he will be miserable. That would be the only win the Nets could get out of it. Probably do the same to Durant.
It would be funny for fans, but it wouldn’t be good for the Nets. Even though these two are tough to deal with, you don’t want to send that msg as an organization. Basically they’d be just as childish as these two and no one would want to go there
Well the stars that did want to go there don’t want to be there, so it’s kind of a losing situation either way.
not necessarily, because if other organizations jump on board, then players lose the power overall to get away with signing contracts and then requesting trades. the only reason they get away with it is because teams let them.
Haha trade him to Toronto where he cant legally play unless he’s vaccinated. Make him forfeit half his salary again for all home games lol.
Detroit doesn’t want or need him. They will have a better record than the Nets in 2 years. Maybe even this year
I disagree. Detroit has a hard time filling seats. Although Kyrie doesn’t contribute much to winning, he does put on a show and will attract fans to the game. And that is the biggest issue with Detroit, they are bottom I revenue and until they make money, they ain’t going to spend money
@stonk
but would either of those teams want to risk bringing him in and possibly hinder the development of their young, impressionable guards. Better yet would they want to give up the resources it might take for a player that won’t make you good enough to win anything but too many wins to get another high draft pick?
90% of top nba news the past two years centered on 5 players out of hundreds. Not even about their play or the games. But where/when/if they’ll play. Can’t make this shiz up.
Durant, simmons, irving, Westbrook, harden. News overshadows games. playoffs. The whole sport.
That’s what happens in a sport played by divas, covered by sycophants (that’s you, ESPN), and followed by front-running fans in all towns who root for individual players (or the Lakers) instead of their hometown teams…it’s sickening…bring back the days where players truly competed HARD with each other instead of hugging each other after every game, when they cared about winning and not their “brand”
Why do fans have to cheer for their hometown team? It’s not like the players, or owners have any real connection to the area. It’s just a uniform.
Also, most the owners care about making money and their “brands”, why shouldn’t players have the same concerns.
It’s probably an old school mentality. When I grew up the game choices were Eagles, 76ers, Phillies and Flyers. So growing up for me it was the only show in town. Now with cable, streaming you can watch anything anytime you want. I think we will see a shift away from homerism over the next few years….but not for me, I’m Philly through and through. Representin the 215
@ getoffmylawn
This post is perfectly in tune with your user name. Props!
I’m glad you appreciate the humor of my username. You’re the first to connect my old-school views with my name. Thanks for noticing!!!!
That’s because you and I clicked on this link. No click, fewer rumors. It really is that simple.
Ode to a commenter (a poem in staccato):
Are Lakers ALL IN?
Nets don’t need Spurs players.
Kyrie Irving for 6 million.
Should Lakers run it back?
Lakers have hired Coach Ham
Maybe.
Some investors are not willing to invest in Kyrie Irving poker stock
Loss after loss.
Ex
Trade away Westbrook.
All-Star. Rising star.
Lakers are ALL IN.
Lakers save tax.
Lakers have set the browser to block the cookies from the Nets.
Nets have set the browser to block the cookies from the Lakers.
What are Lakers cookies?
So classic. Big time LOL. Enjoyed that. Then right on cue, response from the man himself.
hook, line, & sinker. bravo.
Lakers give them a legit off of Westbrook and THT and Unprotected 2027 1st for Kyrie and Harris…force them to counter…if they want a 2029 unprotected first tell them
Curry and Kyrie for Westbrook and 2027/2029 unprotected 1sts
And then move on to Gordon if they don’t take it…Nunn and THT and a bunch of 2nds for Gordon
If Kyrie stays in BK, I wonder how him and Simmons work together. Who runs point?
Simmons. Kyrie plays SG.
Trade Durant to Houston for your picks back plus some guys. Then trade Kyrie at the deadline to whoever wants a win now quick fix. Caris Levert got traded for a 1 and the 31st pick, Kyrie at the deadline is very valuable, now, not so much.
Not resigning Bruce Brown and letting him walk for a measly 6 million was beyond dumb. Could have given him 10 at least. Then trading a 1st to get Royce Oneale who at this point isn’t better overall than Brown on a cheaper deal was even dumber.
Is it at least plausible that the reason Kyrie opted in is because he (or his agent) realized no team would pay him close to $36 mil?
He already lost about half that last year. I can’t imagine his agent (even if he’s cool with it) being ok with his client only getting offered $15mm plus whatever incentives the NBA allows. And it’s not just because of his history of not playing. Either teams don’t have the money or he don’t wanna play for them.
When you can’t come to terms on a new extension and give a team a list of teams your open to be traded to sort of works as a trade request.
Lakers stuck with Westbrook. Nets stuck with KD and Kyrie. Both teams will stink. And ESPN will give them way more airtime than teams that win and are worth watching.
Ummm… I don’t think the Nets will stink with KD and Kyrie if they decide to go all in this year assuming neither is traded. The Nets didn’t make any other moves that look like they’re throwing in the towel. Brown, Dragic and Drummond went elsewhere, but they re-signed Clax, Mills, and Edwards. Harris and Simmons will both be able to play this year. They still have Seth Curry. They gave up a first-rounder next year for Royce O’Neal.
Cryree him a River.
In all of the possible dimensions in the universe, if we live in the one where a content Durant, sane Irving, and injury free Simmons play together and win a championship then I am jumping into the nearest black hole. I could not handle the aftermath of such an event.
Rest a sure that you will be here with us for the foreseeable future.
BKN has both the contractual leverage and the credibility high ground. They should not give any oxygen to offers that they don’t like. The risk of taking this into the preseason is on the players, not the team. I doubt KD holds out, and, if he does, it only hurts the perception of him, not his market value.
As far as KI is concerned, I assume the team doesn’t really care; he’ll be dealt when or after KD is dealt, and only if they can get a net positive return. They know they won’t get much regardless, so just hold, unless a team can structure a deal where BKN does not take back any contracts at all. Likewise, if KI is still on the roster, a holdout wouldn’t be BKN’s first choice, but not their last either. His salary carries a 4x multiple in tax liability at the margin.
All true but at what point do you just want to take back the franchise for yourself and your fans that’s clearly been hijacked
I keep going back to Marks words “They want players who work hard and want to be here” I think those words had deep meanings and were made to spur movement
This would be the year as well to do it as they almost certainly will control their own 1st rd pick even if it’s lottery bound (Hou’s gonna be terrible terrible this year)
I get the idea of keeping Durant and KI but I don’t think we see either in a Nets uniform ever again
I don’t mind the shot Marks took, I actually commend it, it was mostly just his money used as the major asset to spur the ooportunity…. They can rebound well outa this and Marks is a good guy to lead the charge. I actually wonder if this is kinda fun to him in the end taking all these fallen ruins and trying to build back up the empire…gotta imagine for an active GM like Marks this could be sorta a fun exercise to go through even if he never wants to endure it again
I agree, at some point, they’ll have to move on. I just think the point might differ for them here than it might for the LAL or the NYK in a similar spot (although there aren’t many of those). BKN is a so-called “big market” team, but without much of their own fanbase and without the revenue stream of other big market franchises. BKN’s luxury tax bill has truly been funded (out of pocket) by the owner. That funding, I’m sure, was seen by the owner as, in part, branding costs. The franchise had a lot riding on the Big 3, and, thus, has a lot riding on the terms of the divorce.
I like Marks and don’t fault him for any of this. Nevertheless, he’s at bat now. This trade, when it happens, will determine the teams’ fortunes for quite some time. I’m not saying he should be difficult for the sake of being difficult, or pass up an offer that’s likely to be the best he’ll ever get. But time alone is less of a driver here. Next year won’t be good in terms of their footprint regardless. Get the trade right.
I wouldn’t be sweating (yet) if I were Marks. I think they’re betting that at some point LAL will cave and give up the second 1st for Irving.
I mean, if it’s me and I had two options:
1) Running back the Russ calamity for round 2 (after LeBron still looked like a top 7 player last year), or:
2) Giving up my 2029 1st round pick to bring in a player who’s just head and shoulders above Russ in terms of effectiveness at this point in their careers
…I think I have to go with the latter?
Kyrie, for all of his faults, is still a dam good player when he plays in any situation, but especially playing next to LeBron.
@ Cap & Crunch
I think we will see them both in Nets uniforms, at least to start the season. Clearly KD isn’t garnering the demand he thought he would, and Kyrie’s leaking through the NY Post that he wants to play for the Nets “with or without KD”.
I 100% believe Kyrie will show up to play in October.
As much as he was willing to give up $$$ to not get vaccinated this year it’s hard to believe he’s going to give up a chance to earn himself one last 200M max contract by coming back this season and showing he’s still an All-NBA player who actually plays basketball when vaccine mandates are null and void.
Durant will be more interesting. I mean … why not at least give the Simmons thing a shot if October comes and there’s still no deal?
Because if Ben Simmons can somehow regain the t*sticular fortitude to actually play basketball, I’m not sure there’s a better basketball situation for KD than playing w/ Kyrie and Simmons, unless Boston or Golden State come knocking on Marks’ door.
Kyrie has gone to end of earth. And has fallen and he can’t get up. No one is giving you value for Kyrie. Except the Lakers.
Seems like only place he can go …….
Must be the slow season.
As it is in FOs too.
Hey Luke what’s with all them words?
Latest on Kyrie Irving?
Still batshit crazy.
There ya have it. Brief, succinct, concise and to the point. You don’t want all your readers getting lost in 15 paragraphs that say nothing and have them lose interest.