Winfield: Nets give Kyrie Irving permission to seek sign-and-trade packages

In the latest indication that the Nets and Kyrie Irving’s positions are at the very least hardening, Kristian Winfield reports that the Nets have given Irving’s camp persmission to see sign-and-trade packages.

Irving’s camp has requested and received permission from the Nets to speak with other teams about sign-and-trade packages, according to multiple sources familiar with the situation.

The belief among both league and player circles is that Irving is gone and the Seven-Eleven Era is over before it ever began.

Not long after, The Athletic confirmed the Daily News report.

Brooklyn Nets All-Star guard Kyrie Irving has received permission from the organization to seek a sign-and-trade, sources confirmed to The Athletic Monday. Irving has a Wednesday deadline to pick up his $36.9 million player option for next season.

Winfield’s scoop is the second indicator Monday morning that the negotiations are heading toward a resolution which may indeed lead to his departure.

On ESPN’s Get Up, Zach Lowe said the Nets remain steadfast in their position that Irving does not deserve the fully guaranteed five-year, $245.6 million extension he has sought.

“The max deal, everything I’ve heard, is not coming [for Kyrie Irving]. The Nets are not going to be held hostage by the threat of Kyrie and then Kevin Durant following him out the door,” said Lowe on Get Up. But he added that there may still be time for a “fair compromise.”

Irving was asked Sunday about whether he wanted to remain a Net by Complex Sports. He responded with a laugh and rather than respond, pointed to his agent and stepmom, Shetellia Riley Irving who was standing next to him.

Less than an hour after Complex Sports posted the interview clip to their Instagram account, Irving left a telling comment.

“When I smile like that, it means there’s more to the story. I’ll have my time to address things.”

Winfield also reiterated what he first reported a month ago and that others have since confirmed that the Nets have not had conversations with Kevin Durant in weeks. (Whether the Nets are in touch with his agent/manager Rich Kleiman is uncertain.)

Irving has reportedly given the Nets six teams that he would prefer to be traded if negotiations fail. They are the Lakers, Clippers, Knicks, Heat, 76ers and Mavericks.

However, as Winfield as well as others reported, there is a degree of difficulty in getting him to any of the possible landing spots.

The Knicks, Mavericks and Heat are the teams that have the biggest capacity to pull off a deal for Irving, but the Knicks and Mavericks appear to be in a bidding war over free agent guard Jalen Brunson.

Winfield also noted that a reunion between KD and his Thunder teammate, Russell Westbrook, “remains unlikely.”

Not long after Winfield story, Adrian Wojnarowski reported that there’s little interest in an Irving S&T from his preferred list of teams.

Among the issues is that any team that winds up $5 million over the luxury tax threshold would be hard-capped. Also, any S&T contract has to be for a minimum of three years.

That would leave the possibility of Irving simply opting out and signing for the taxpayers MLE or even the vets minimum, leaving somewhere between $30 and $35 million on the table.

While that is indeed a possibility, the fact that Irving has sought permission to work a sign-and-trade could indicate that is a not his preference. He does not want to leave money on the table.

He also seemed defensive later in the day when Barstool Sports (which is headquartered in Boston, it should noted) suggested he is a franchise killer...

The deadline for Irving to act on his player option is Wednesday. Expect a lot more leaks from negotiations in the next 48 hours. As one Nets insider told NetsDaily, “it’s going to be a busy time. Buckle up.”

• Sources: Nets grant Kyrie Irving permission to seek sign-and-trade packages - Kristian Winfield - New York Daily News
• Kyrie Irving requests, receives permission to seek sign-and-trade from Nets: Sources - The Athletic
• Sources: Los Angeles Lakers only team known to be seeking Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving in a sign-and-trade deal - Adrian Wojnarowski - ESPN