“I think he’s played his last game for the Nets” NBA Insider makes shocking claim on Kyrie Irving’s future plans
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Kyrie Irving with Nets
Ever since Brooklyn Nets got eliminated in the 1st round of the 2022 playoffs, there is a huge buzz around star guard Kyrie Irving. The player was entering his last season with the franchise and the Nets looked reluctant to extend his stay beyond the contracted period. The Kyrie Irving saga continues into the second week of July, even though he exercised his player option and committed to 1 more season with the Brooklyn Nets. As per reports, the possibility of the All-Star guard’s departure from the Brooklyn Nets continues to grow. ESPN NBA insider Brian Windhorst’s latest insight surrounding Irving suggests the same.
Commenting on Kyrie’s future with the Nets, Brian said on ESPN’s ‘Get Up’ show, “The market on Kyrie remains frozen. The only team known to have an interest in the Los Angeles Lakers. and the Nets have given out the vibe they want to do a Kevin Durant trade first before moving on to Kyrie.”
AS per the details given by Windhorst, “So, Kyrie will be welcome to games. Nets would be happy to have him attend summer league games but I think he’s played his last game for the Brooklyn Nets.” Kevin Durant’s trade remains the cornerstone for the Nets front office as they look to build on their most valued assets first. But the Brooklyn Nets haven’t found an acceptable offer for superstar Kevin Durant. Interestingly, the Nets’ unwillingness to offer Irving a max deal is reportedly behind KD’s trade request, which will be dealt with first by the franchise.
Kyrie Irving looks certain to play with LeBron James at Los Angeles Lakers
As explained earlier, the Nets will assess the KD trade situation first before moving ahead with any sort of deal for Irving. But after several teams’ failed attempts, they might need to move Kyrie before the training starts. The market for Kyrie Irving is also dry with just the Lakers showing strong interest in the former Rookie of the season.
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As per the situation, franchises might swap their star guards, Kyrie Irving and Russell Westbrook, which will reunite former teammates at both franchises. The Lakers must include Russell Westbrook’s $47 million expiring contract to complete the deal, while Kyrie’s player option stands around $36 million.
That’s $11 million more than Kyrie Irving’s current contract. Initial reports suggested the Nets were seeking draft picks for the 2016 champion, but the Lakers were unwilling to offer those as they have very limited resources to build upon in the future also. Instead, the LA team requested the addition of Seth Curry, who is on a one-year $8 million contract with the Nets. But Brooklyn is looking to move Joe Harris instead, delaying the finalization of the deal.
Former MVP Westbrook’s salary remains the huge stumbling block in the deal, with the Brooklyn Nets resisting absorbing the massive amount. The latest updates center around the inclusion of a third team as the San Antonio Spurs have been rumored to facilitate a deal between the Lakers and Nets. They have the cap room to take on Westbrook’s contract in exchange for draft compensation and might suit Brooklyn’s requirements.
As for The Los Angeles Lakers, moving Russell Westbrook, after failed experiment will be the priority, and they have leverage as the only team interested in Kyrie Irving. The Nets are also considered tired of Kyrie’s situation and its negative effect on the franchise that they want him out of the franchise sooner than later. Both teams are moving cautiously over the deal, with plenty of time in their hand.
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Kunal Chawda
(600 Articles Published)