Kyrie Irving Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Kevin Durant Reportedly Losing Confidence In Nets’ Management

June 26th, 2022 at 9:59am CST by Arthur Hill

Kevin Durant hasn’t talked to anyone from the Nets in weeks and is losing confidence in the team’s ability to handle the contract standoff with Kyrie Irving, Logan Murdock of The Ringer said on a recent podcast (hat tip to NetsDaily).

There has been growing speculation over the past week that Durant may force his way out if Brooklyn can’t re-sign Irving. Murdock said that decision isn’t inevitable, but warned that concerns about the potential “destruction” of the current roster are legitimate.

“I don’t know if he’s at the stage of leaving but there’s a big uneasiness from not only from the Kyrie side, but the KD side as well,” Murdock said.

Brooklyn was lauded as the NBA’s next super team when Durant, Irving and DeAndre Jordan decided to sign there as free agents in 2019. James Harden was added in a January 2021 deal to form a Big Three, but things haven’t gone as planned. The Nets have captured just one playoff series in that span, Harden is already gone and the other two stars appear to be in danger of leaving as well.

Murdock explained that when Durant chose Brooklyn, he had a vision of competing for titles while playing alongside his friends. Because that hasn’t happened, Durant is beginning to consider his options, especially if Irving doesn’t return.

“His biggest beef is that he feels that the front office didn’t grow to understand Kyrie, whatever that means,” Murdock said. “I would push back on that when a guy leaves for two weeks at a time … Kyrie earns the lion’s share of the blame. But I think KD believes that ‘hey, you guys didn’t understand this guy. You didn’t try to figure out where he was coming from.’”

Durant is also unhappy about the Nets’ reported parting with Adam Harrington as an assistant coach and director of development. Harrington was Durant’s shooting coach with the Thunder and is a longtime friend.

Murdock adds that Durant chose not to be involved in the Nets’ free agent recruiting process this year after having been active on that front in past offseasons.

Pacific Notes: Ayton, Suns, Irving, Lakers, Warriors

June 25th, 2022 at 1:32pm CST by JD Shaw

Suns restricted free agent Deandre Ayton received support from his teammates this week, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic writes. Key players Mikal Bridges and Cameron Johnson expressed hope Ayton will return next season, although recent reports suggest it’s still unclear.

“From my perspective, personally, definitely somebody I always want on my team,” Johnson said. “We want all of our guys (to stay). What we’ve been able to build, what we’ve been able to go through together these last couple of years has meant a lot to us. You kind of bond with a guy in a big way going through that process together.”

The Suns won a franchise-record 64 games this season, but lost to the Mavericks in seven games during the second round. Phoenix has the right to match any offer sheet Ayton signs with a rival club. If Ayton prefers to leave, the team could also work out a sign-and-trade agreement.

Here are some other notes from the Pacific:

Suns general manager James Jones remains optimistic Ayton will stay, Rankin writes in a different article for the Arizona Republic. “Nothing has changed on our end,” Jones explained. “We haven’t said anything different. DA remains a huge part of what we do and he’s a free agent. So we’ll talk about free agency when that time comes, but that hasn’t changed. I think you hear his teammates. They echo the same sentiment that we have. This team is a really good team and we’re going to keep it together.”
Kyle Goon of the Orange County Register explores Kyrie Irving‘s uncertain situation, posing four questions the Lakers should ask themselves before pursuing him. While Irving may fit well on the court, the Lakers could struggle to acquire him. If Irving declines of his $36.5MM player option and seeks a multi-year deal, the team currently doesn’t have the cap space to sign him. If he opts in, offering an appealing trade package to Brooklyn without involving a third or fourth team would be difficult.
In a story for Yahoo Sports, Vincent Goodwill examines how the Warriors revived their dynasty. Golden State welcomed back a healthy Klay Thompson this season, adding him to a core of Stephen Curry, Jordan Poole, Andrew Wiggins, Draymond Green and others. The result was a fourth championship in the past eight seasons for the franchise.

Atlantic Notes: Durant, Harden, Anunoby, Koloko, Celtics

June 24th, 2022 at 2:04pm CST by Luke Adams

As rumors swirl that Kyrie Irving is entertaining an exit out of Brooklyn that could impact Kevin Durant‘s future with the Nets, Durant himself said on the ETCs podcast that he doesn’t plan to get involved in Irving’s free agency decision.

“This is this man’s livelihood. This is much bigger than me,” Durant said, according to NetsDaily. “Being a free agent, it’s one of the most important times in your career. That can’t be swayed by anybody else. I just do me and wait for the time.

“There’s nothing that can happen right now. I don’t think he can even make a decision on opting out until the 29th, I think. I just let things play out and see what happens, but keep the regular contact up with Kai and see what happens. It’s something that’s so much out of my control that I don’t want to be a part of it. We’ll see what happens though.”

Asked about this week’s reports about him and Irving, Durant downplayed them without dismissing them entirely.

“It’s just reports. You know, that go around this time, the draft, the Finals just ended. You just got to keep that dialogue going, keep that engagement going. So, obviously, it’s an interesting topic,” Durant said. “There’s a lot going on with our team. Uncertainty with Ben (Simmons) not playing with us, us being swept in the playoffs, Kyrie’s situation being a free agent. So there’s a lot of certainty with our team. I understand why there’s so much noise around us, but as individuals, you control what you can. If the time’s right, everything will work out for itself.”

Here’s more from around the Atlantic:

Asked about James Harden‘s contract situation on Thursday, Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey didn’t offer up any specifics, but expressed optimism about the relationship going forward, writes Noah Levick of NBC Sports Philadelphia. “As you guys have heard, it’s a mutual lovefest, so we feel like we’ll work it out,” Morey said.
The Trail Blazers engaged in a “full-court press” this week in an effort to acquire OG Anunoby from the Raptors, but Toronto was unmoved, reports Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca. While that doesn’t rule out the possibility of Anunoby being traded later in the offseason, head coach Nick Nurse said on Thursday that “guys like him are hard to find in this league.”
Within the same story, Grange writes that the Raptors‘ No. 33 pick – Christian Koloko – brings the sort of height and rim-protecting ability that the team had been lacking. “It’s something we don’t have,” general manager Bobby Webster said of Koloko’s skill set.
The Celtics have done their homework on the players that fit into their $17MM+ trade exception and have considered various scenarios, but haven’t found one they like yet, president of basketball operations Brad Stevens said during his post-draft media session on Thursday. “If that thing vanishes because we don’t find the right deal, we still have two other (trade exceptions) that don’t expire until the trade deadline,” Stevens said, per Keith Smith of Spotrac (Twitter links). As our tracker shows, Boston’s $17MM exception will expire on July 18, at which point the team will still have TPEs worth about $7MM and $6MM.

Nets’ Outlook With Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant Remains “Murky”

June 24th, 2022 at 9:27am CST by Luke Adams

After reporting on Thursday afternoon that Kevin Durant was weighing his future in Brooklyn, potentially opening the door for Kyrie Irving to leave the Nets this offseason, Shams Charania of The Athletic further addressed the situation during Thursday night’s draft.

“Kevin Durant, I’m told, is seriously mulling his future options with the franchise and there’s an expectation that that now opens up an opportunity for Kyrie Irving to now proceed to find a new home,” Charania said (video link via Stadium). “… Whether that’s an opt-in and trade, a sign-and-trade, an opt-out and sign as a free agent, Kyrie Irving, it appears, is going to find a new home. Kevin Durant has four years left on his contract with the Nets. His future right now is very much up in the air.”

Although Charania’s wording makes it sound as if Irving is more likely to depart Brooklyn than to return, Brian Lewis of The New York Post says Kyrie and the Nets are still believed to be seeking an agreement that will keep him with the team. According to Lewis, some people around the NBA believe the recent leaks are part of an “artfully crafted and well-coordinated bluff” from Irving’s camp.

Irving’s decision on his $36.9MM player option isn’t due until next Wednesday, so the two sides still have several days to try to find common ground. Kyrie is said to be looking for a long-term contract, while the Nets prefer a shorter-term deal. Team owner Joe Tsai has “fully supported” management’s stance against making a long-term commitment to Irving, according to Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter link).

Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, who reported on Thursday that Irving has a list of at least six preferred destinations if he leaves the Nets, reiterated on ESPN’s Get Up on Friday (video link) that the Lakers appear to have the “most interest” in the seven-time All-Star.

However, given the Lakers’ lack of trade assets, Irving’s only real path to the team might be to opt out and sign for the $6.3MM taxpayer mid-level exception. Given that he and the Nets reached an impasse over how long his deal would be, it seems unlikely that he’d settle for a one-year deal and a $30MM pay cut.

According to Wojnarowski, a few of the other teams on Irving’s reported wish list – including the Mavericks, Clippers, and Sixers – are unlikely to have legitimate interest. The Knicks created some additional cap flexibility with their moves in Thursday’s draft, but are prioritizing free agent point guard Jalen Brunson over Irving, says Wojnarowski.

Still, despite an apparent lack of logical landing spots for Kyrie, Wojnarowski (video link) describes the Nets’ situation as “perilous” due to the ripple effect it could have on Irving’s good friend Durant. According to Woj, Durant isn’t a lock to request a trade if Irving leaves, but he’d want the Nets to show him that they could still build a championship-caliber roster around him.

“KD wanting to remain with the Nets is not necessarily contingent on if Kyrie Irving walks,” Wojnarowski said during a TV appearance, according to Lewis. “That, if he walks, he wants to see what the roster could still look like, how it could be reshaped, how it can still be a championship contender. (Durant is) starting that new four-year max deal. This isn’t the transfer portal. You don’t get to say where you’d like to go. So if he decided and wanted and asked for a trade — which I’m told he’s not told the Nets he’s going to do or is ready to do — he’s probably not going to have a lot of say in where he goes.

“So that has to be part of (Durant’s) thinking if he does ask out of Brooklyn,” Woj continued. “But right now, I still think there’s a pathway for the Nets, for Kyrie Irving, for Kevin Durant to find a way forward together. But it’s murky, and it’s uncertain. The future of this Nets organization very well is going to be determined here in the next several days to a week.”

Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving Considering Options For Future

June 23rd, 2022 at 3:42pm CST by Luke Adams

Nets star Kevin Durant is monitoring Brooklyn’s situation and “considering options with his future,” sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). While Charania’s report is vague, it suggests Durant may not be completely satisfied with his current situation despite being under contract for the next four years.

The Nets’ negotiations with Kyrie Irving figure to be a crucial factor in Durant’s deliberations, as Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN detailed earlier this week. Irving and the Nets were said on Monday to be at an impasse in their contract talks, and Kyrie and KD are close, so their futures may be connected — if one leaves Brooklyn, the other would likely be more inclined to follow suit.

According to Charania, Durant’s deliberations open a path for Irving to look more seriously at finding a new home via opt-in and trade.

Meanwhile, sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link) that Irving has a list of teams he would like Brooklyn to consider in sign-and-trade scenarios if he and the Nets don’t reach a new agreement, including the Lakers, Clippers, Knicks, Heat, Mavericks, and Sixers. Those are teams Irving is interested in, though not all of them would necessarily reciprocate that interest and make him a top priority, Wojnarowski adds (via Twitter).

Irving has a $36.9MM player option that he must make a decision on by next Wednesday. Picking up that option would mean he either returns to Brooklyn or relies on the Nets to trade him. Declining it would make him an unrestricted free agent, in which case he could either re-sign with the Nets or join a new team, possibly via sign-and-trade.

Teams that will be over the tax apron (projected to be approximately $155MM) for the 2022/23 season would be ineligible to acquire a player via sign-and-trade. Of the teams on Irving’s wish list, the Lakers, Clippers, and Mavericks are all on track to be well above the apron, while the Heat and Sixers also aren’t locks to stay below it. That would complicate sign-and-trade scenarios, so Irving’s best route to changing teams without taking a massive pay cut would be with an opt-in-and-trade.

As ESPN’s Bobby Marks observes (via Twitter), Irving’s current contract includes a 15% trade bonus, so if he were to exercise his player option and be traded without waiving that bonus, his salary for 2022/23 would increase to over $42MM, with the Nets responsible for paying the extra $5.5MM.

Irving is seeking a lucrative long-term contract this offseason, while the Nets have reportedly been pushing for a shorter-term deal. If the two sides can find common ground, Irving and Durant both seem like good bets to remain in Brooklyn, but the fact that both stars are now said to be considering their options isn’t great news for a Nets team that already had to trade away one superstar earlier this year when James Harden asked out.

Lakers Notes: Irving, Draft, Mini-Camp

June 23rd, 2022 at 9:41am CST by Arthur Hill

If the Lakers have a realistic chance to land Kyrie Irving, they should brush aside any concerns about his reliability and make the move, argues Bill Oram of The Athletic. L.A. has been mentioned as a potential destination for Irving if his contract talks with the Nets remain at an impasse. While that could be a negotiating ploy from Irving’s camp, there was a report Wednesday that he has spoken to LeBron James about teaming up again.

Oram believes head of basketball operations Rob Pelinka should jump at the chance to add Irving, who could spark a quick turnaround for an L.A. team that missed the playoffs this season. Oram admits there’s a “buyer beware” component to Irving, who has only played 93 total games in his three seasons with the Nets because of injuries, a commitment to social causes and his stand against vaccine mandates, but he says the Lakers can’t afford to pass on his talent.

There’s more on the Lakers:

In an appearance Wednesday on NBA Today, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski called the Lakers “the most significant threat” to sign Irving if he opts out of his current contract and becomes a free agent (video link). However, L.A. would be limited to the taxpayer mid-level exception, which is projected at $6.39MM, and there are questions about whether Irving – even as unpredictable as he is – would accept such a drastic pay cut. A more realistic option could be a three-team trade, and Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report looks at scenarios involving the Lakers, Nets and Thunder.
L.A. is among a handful of teams entering today’s draft without a pick, but its recent success in developing unheralded players provides confidence that it can still find help in this year’s rookie class, writes Kyle Goon of The Orange County Register. Austin Reaves was the latest example, but the Lakers have also been successful with Alex Caruso, Talen Horton-Tucker and Mason Jones.
Derrick Williams and Darren Collison were the most prominent names at a Lakers’ mini-camp on Tuesday, tweets JD Shaw of Hoops Rumors. Justin Tillman, Craig Randall II, Sindarius Thornwell, Olivier Sarr, Antonio Blakeney and Jaylen Adams were among the other players on hand.

Stein’s Latest: Irving, Heat, Brunson, Tucker, Collins

June 22nd, 2022 at 8:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

Kyrie Irving has reportedly talked to LeBron James about a reunion in L.A., but it’s “a stretch” to say the Lakers are currently trying to acquire Irving, Marc Stein writes in his latest Substack column. There’s increased speculation this week that Irving and the Nets may not be able to work out a new contract, and the Lakers are believed to be one of his potential landing spots if he does leave Brooklyn.

However, Stein is skeptical of their chances considering their current financial situation. If Irving opts in to his $36.9MM salary for next season, the Lakers don’t have the necessary trade assets to pry him away from the Nets, Stein states. And if he opts out, L.A. can’t offer more than the taxpayer mid-level exception, which is projected at $6.39MM.

Stein expects Irving to remain in Brooklyn, saying it’s unlikely he’ll pass on such a lucrative player option. Stein also cites a leaguewide expectation that the Nets will work out at least a short-term deal with Irving to avoid causing any friction with Kevin Durant.

Stein shares information on a few more topics:

The Heat could be a team to watch if the Nets decide to trade Irving. Although Irving doesn’t seem like a natural fit for “Heat culture,” Stein notes that Miami is always willing to pursue stars when they hit the market.
League sources tell Stein that the Knicks would be a legitimate threat to sign Mavericks guard Jalen Brunson if they can clear enough cap space to make a max offer. The Brunson family’s connections to team president Leon Rose and the team’s recent hiring of Rick Brunson, Jalen’s father, as an assistant coach give New York an advantage. However, Stein notes that the Knicks’ efforts to unload salary suffered a setback with Alec Burks‘ offseason foot surgery.
The Sixers are considered “by far the favorite” to sign Heat forward P.J. Tucker if he decides to leave Miami. President of basketball operations Daryl Morey, who signed Tucker in Houston, is reportedly willing to offer a three-year, $30MM contract.
A deal with the Kings involving Harrison Barnes is among the Hawks‘ “prime options” as they try to work out a John Collins trade, Stein tweets.

Atlantic Notes: Raptors, Mills, Kyrie, Knicks, Burks, Celtics

June 22nd, 2022 at 2:29pm CST by Luke Adams

Asked on Tuesday about what the Raptors‘ offseason might look like, general manager Bobby Webster suggested it might be a fairly quiet summer in Toronto, but didn’t rule out the possibility of that changing if favorable trade opportunities arise.

“You look at it two ways: We have a couple free agents, we have a mid-level (exception). Maybe in that sense it’s just adding to the group,” Webster said, according to Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca. “Obviously if you have trade discussions, it’s different. There are kind of just two different paths you can go.”

OG Anunoby has been at the center of some trade rumors this offseason, with one report indicating the Raptors forward wants a bigger role on offense going forward. Asked about Anunoby, Webster dismissed the idea that there’s any real tension between the team and the 24-year-old, but he also didn’t exactly slam the door on the idea that Anunoby could be traded.

“We have great communication with OG,” Webster said. “He’s even up here (in Toronto) now. For one, it doesn’t make sense to comment on all the trade speculation. If we talked about every call we got or every player we discussed we’d be here for hours, so I don’t think it’s all that noteworthy.”

Here’s more from around the Atlantic:

Nets guard Patty Mills still hasn’t decided whether or not he’ll pick up his $6.2MM player option for 2022/23, writes ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Insider link). In a story for NetsDaily, Collin Helwig looks at what Mills could bring to the table for Brooklyn next season if he returns and is slotted into the role the team envisioned for him last year, before Kyrie Irving‘s extended absence resulted in him being thrust into the starting lineup.
Speaking of Irving, both Fred Katz of The Athletic and Ian Begley of SNY.tv explored whether the idea of the Nets guard joining the cross-town Knicks this offseason is realistic. A Shams Charania report on Monday linked Irving to the Knicks, but New York is believed to be more focused on Jalen Brunson and Malcolm Brogdon, while there’s a belief that Kyrie and the Nets can still work out a deal.
Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News provides a few more details on Alec Burks‘ foot surgery, reporting that the affected left foot had been bothering the Knicks guard for a while. Burks, who previously underwent procedures on his left ankle in 2015 and 2016, has seen his trade value negatively affected by the surgery, league sources tell Bondy.
The Celtics brought in Michigan State forward Gabe Brown on Wednesday, just a day before the draft, for a second workout, tweets Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog.com. Brown, the No. 78 prospect on ESPN’s big board, could be a target for Boston with the 53rd overall pick or as an undrafted free agent.

Latest On Kyrie Irving, Nets

June 22nd, 2022 at 12:36pm CST by Luke Adams

The Nets are faced with a balancing act as they attempt to re-sign or extend Kyrie Irving, Adrian Wojnarowski said today during a TV appearance on SportsCenter, as well as in an Insider-only story for ESPN.com.

As Wojnarowski explains, the Nets want to remain disciplined in their contract discussions with Irving, preferring to negotiate a shorter-term deal rather than a long-term contract, in large part due to the star guard’s availability issues in recent years. Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report reported something similar earlier in the week.

However, the team also doesn’t want to run the risk of “alienating” star forward Kevin Durant, who is close with Irving and may become disenchanted with his situation in Brooklyn if his good friend departs in free agency. Wojnarowski says there are teams rooting for Irving to leave the Nets because they feel it could open the door for them to pursue Durant.

Although Durant hasn’t shown any signs of frustration with his situation, Wojnarowski hears from sources that chatter from rival agents and players about KD’s eagerness to talk to free agents hasn’t existed so far this summer like it has in past offseasons. Sources also suggest to ESPN that the drama surrounding Irving has made it more difficult for the Nets to court and retain role players.

Brian Lewis of The New York Post confirms that the length of a new Irving deal appears to be more of a sticking point than the salary, writing that the two sides are trying to find a “happy medium.”

According to Wojnarowski, getting a deal done is “the preference for everyone,” including the Nets, Irving, and Durant, and Lewis says that most people around the league still believe a return to Brooklyn is the most likely outcome for Kyrie. It’s just a matter of the Nets and the seven-time All-Star finding common ground in their contract talks.

Fischer’s Latest: Kyrie, Collins, Barnes, Knicks, Magic

June 21st, 2022 at 11:02am CST by Luke Adams

Monday’s report stating that Kyrie Irving is at an impasse in contract discussions with the Nets and could consider other destinations is widely viewed as an attempt by Irving’s camp to create leverage in those negotiations, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst stated during an appearance on Get Up on Tuesday (video link).

Still, even if that’s the case, the Nets and Irving have some work to do to bridge the gap in their contract talks, according to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report, who says the team prefers a shorter-term deal that includes incentives, while Irving naturally wants a longer-term commitment.

Despite the report of an “impasse,” talks between Irving and the Nets are expected to remain fluid as his option decision deadline and the start of free agency near, says Fischer. There still appears to be mutual interest in figuring something out, and Brooklyn team officials have been operating as if Irving, Kevin Durant, and Ben Simmons will all be back in 2022/23, Fischer adds.

According to Fischer, word has circulated among league personnel since May’s draft combine that Irving has interest in the Lakers and Knicks, but most team executives haven’t given much credence to that chatter, given how challenging it would be for either team to acquire him.

Here’s more from Fischer’s newest round-up of NBA rumors:

Fischer is the latest reporter to reiterate that John Collins is viewed as one of the NBA’s most likely offseason trade candidates, writing that Collins and the Hawks seem to have mutual interest in finding him a new home. Fischer also confirms a previous report which stated that the Collins talks between the Hawks and Kings haven’t included the No. 4 overall pick, though he notes that Sacramento forward Harrison Barnes is believed to be available.
The Knicks are considered likely to trade Alec Burks and Nerlens Noel, according to Fischer, who says the team is exploring ways to create $25MM in cap room, possibly to pursue free agent point guard Jalen Brunson. However, Fischer cautions that league personnel still widely expect Brunson to re-sign with the Mavericks.
Teams looking to shed a contract or two will likely be in touch with the Magic. Fischer hears from sources that Orlando – one of the only teams projected to have cap room – has emerged as a possible landing spot for unwanted salary. Any team looking to dump a contract on the Magic would have to be willing to give up an asset or two to make it happen.