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Things are not right in Brooklyn ... again.
Numerous NBA reporters tweeted Friday afternoon that Kyrie Irving has requested a trade by next Thursday’s deadline after he and the Nets failed to agree on an extension. According to Shams Charania, the Nets wanted Irving to agree to certain stipulations, not further described, and he and team refused to accept them, wanting a fully guaranteed deal. Specifically, Shams said that Irving objected to “stipulations” in the last year of a proposed deal.
Here are the initial rush of tweets...
Breaking: Brooklyn Nets All-Star Kyrie Irving has requested a trade, league sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. The franchise has been informed that Irving prefers to move on ahead of the Feb. 9 trade deadline – or will leave in free agency in July.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 3, 2023
Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving has told the franchise that he wants to be traded ahead of Thursday's deadline, source tells ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 3, 2023
Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving has requested a trade, league sources tell @NBAonTNT, @BleacherReport. This comes in aftermath of sides unable to get an extension done.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) February 3, 2023
"The Nets offered Kyrie Irving a contract extension that had some stipulations in it.. I'm told that his side was vehemently against any stipulations in an extension"@ShamsCharania dives into Kyrie Irving's trade request #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/xBVFmM1jHA
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) February 3, 2023
Reporting on Kyrie Irving’s trade request with the Nets and two of the reasons why: pic.twitter.com/dRZcm03YP2
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 3, 2023
Irving is currently on an expiring $36.9 million contract. He is eligible for a four-year, $200 million extension which can be signed at any point during the season or in free agency. Adrian Wojnarowski reported on NBA Today that Irving wanted a deal done before the season ended. The Nets can sign him either during the season or in free agency.
A little more than a week ago, Irving’s agent and stepmother, Shetellia Riley Irving, told Haynes that while Irving wanted to stay with the Nets, the team had not tendered any significant offer.
“Around Kyrie and staying with the Nets? I have reached out to the Nets regarding this,” Shetellia Irving told Haynes. “We have had no significant conversations to date. The desire is to make Brooklyn home, with the right type of extension, which means the ball is in the Nets’ court to communicate now if their desire is the same.”
Woj reports that the request was delivered earlier Friday.
There were some talks on a new deal for Irving, but no deal was reached and a trade request was delivered to the organization on Friday, sources told ESPN. Irving can leave the franchise this summer as a free agent.
The Nets have three games, all at Barclays Center, vs. the Wizards on Saturday, the Clippers on Monday and the Suns Tuesday between now and the deadline.
Irving’s request, coming just before the deadline, obviously puts the Nets in a bad position. While Irving is playing well, at a career-high level in fact, he is coming off the latest in a number of controversies, his promotion of an anti-semitic video that cost him an eight game suspension and a $50,000 fine from the NBA.
While the Lakers reportedly had interest in Irving during last summer when both his and Kevin Durant’s situation was uncertain, it remains to be seen what team would want to take him on ... and what they would offer the Nets in return.
Brian Windhorst on NBA Today suggested that while the Lakers may be interested in Irving, they may may not be interested in paying him the max.
“They’ve been interested, but they’re not so sure about trading for him and giving him a 200 million dollar contract at season’s end,” Windhorst told Malika Andrews.
— ' (@_Talkin_NBA) February 3, 2023
Marc Stein reports that the Lakers — and Mavericks — could be among those teams interested in engaging with the Nets...
The Lakers and Mavericks are among the teams Brooklyn is expected to engage in Kyrie Irving trade talks as next Thursday's 3 PM ET trade deadline approaches, league sources say.
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) February 3, 2023
More NBA from me: https://t.co/A6ycVmnrjq
The Mavericks have several key pieces in their front office who have had relationships with Irving, as Tim MacMahon noted...
Mavs GM Nico Harrison, a former Nike executive, and coach Jason Kidd have longstanding relationships with Kyrie Irving. Dallas desperately needs co-star alongside Luka Doncic.
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) February 3, 2023
Big questions: 1) How much are Mavs willing to give up? 2) Would they make long-term commitment? https://t.co/FpylL9WQ6Z
Shams reported Friday afternoon that in addition to the Lakers and Mavs, the Suns may also have interest...
The Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix Suns and Dallas Mavericks have emerged as potential suitors for Brooklyn Nets All-Star starter Kyrie Irving, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 3, 2023
Haynes agrees...
Phoenix is viewed as one of the few teams capable of facilitating a deal with Brooklyn that could keep both teams in championship pursuit.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) February 3, 2023
Bobby Marks noted that dealing Irving could be complicated...
Kyrie Irving is extension up until June 30 with Brooklyn.
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) February 3, 2023
If he is traded and amends the 15% trade bonus, he is not allowed to extend with his new team.
The maximum on an extension is 2 years/$78.6M with a new team but only if Brooklyn pays him the trade kicker.
Kyrie Irving is a max player but on a year to year basis.
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) February 3, 2023
I don’t see a team this offseason committing 3 or 4 years to him.
Might be a challenge for a team to commit 2 years.
Ramona Shelburne added...
In other words, this is a strong leverage point for Irving with the Nets—when he’s playing well & they need him with KD out. But they don’t have to do anything because they still have Bird rights and could extend him after the season.
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) February 3, 2023
If there is a deadline trade, it would be the second time in two years that a Nets superstar wanted out of Brooklyn. Last year at the deadline, James Harden requested a trade and was dealt to Philadelphia for a package headlined by Ben Simmons.
The larger question of course is how this will affect Kevin Durant’s tenure with the club. Woj said he was as surprised as anyone by the turn of events. Of course, Durant requested his own trade last summer which many believe was related to the Nets refusal to provide Irving an extension before the June 30 deadline. One question that arises: Is Irving trying to get KD to pressure the Nets?
Woj said on ESPN that it’s uncertain that Irving will even return to play for Brooklyn.
“I think its difficult now for Kyrie Irving to walk back in this locker room between now and trade deadline and just go back to work. I’m told that he’s been good around this team lately. Everybody was optimistic,” said Woj. “But that all changes today.”
Irving is expected to play Saturday night vs. the Wizards at Barclays Center.
The Durant dispute took seven weeks to resolve with KD and the Nets agreeing to continue their “partnership” following meetings with Joe Tsai in London and Los Angeles. The Nets essentially called his bluff and refused to deal him for anything less than a monster package of young players and picks, which no team was prepared to offer. Durant’s four-year, $198 million deal with Brooklyn has three years to run after this season.
Irving and Durant have been selected as Eastern Conference starters in the All-Star Game which will take place February 19, 10 days after the trade deadline. He is averaging 27.1 points, 5.3 assists and 5.1 rebounds a game.
- Source: Kyrie Irving asks Nets for trade ahead of deadline - Adrian Wojnarowski - ESPN
- Kyrie Irving trade request: Answering the big questions - ESPN+
- Charles Barkley: Kyrie Irving can’t be counted on by NBA teams (Video) - ESPN
- Stephen A.: Kyrie Irving’s trade request is ‘idiotic’ (Video) - ESPN
- Woj: Kyrie’s trade request fueled by rift in contract negotiations (Video) - ESPN
- Nets’ Kyrie Irving requests trade as Lakers, Suns, Mavericks emerge as potential suitors: Sources - Shams Charania & Alex Schiffer - The Athletic
- Now that Kyrie Irving has requested trade, where does he fit? What does it mean for Nets? - Sam Amick, Alex Schiffer, Mike Vorkunov - The Athletic
- Kyrie Irving’s trade request throws the Nets into a familiar place: chaos - Alex Schiffer - The Athletic
- Kyrie Irving’s trade request raises questions the Mavericks can’t easily answer - Tim Cato - The Athletic
- Kyrie Irving to the Lakers? This is why L.A. held on to its draft picks and here’s what a trade with Nets could look like - Jovan Buha - The Athletic
- Kyrie Trade Demand: What’s next? - Marc Stein - The Steinline
- Kyrie Irving Asks the Nets to Trade Him - Tania Ganguli, Scott Cacciola & Sopan Deb - New York Times
- AP source: Kyrie Irving requests trade from Nets - Brian Mahoney - AP
- Kyrie Irving requests Nets trade as tenure somehow gets more dramatic - Brian Lewis - New York Post
- Top potential suitors if Nets decide to trade Kyrie Irving - Brian Lewis - New York Post
- There are four possible futures for the Nets and Kyrie Irving — here’s how they would work - Brian Lewis - New York Post Sports+
- Magic Johnson would ‘love’ to see Kyrie Irving on Lakers amid trade request - Brian Fonseca - New York Post
- It’s time for Nets to give Kyrie Irving what he wants: End the charade - Mike Vaccaro - New York Post
- Inside look at Kyrie Irving’s chaotic tenure with Nets - Noah Concordia - New York Post
- Kyrie Irving’s next team odds: Picks, predictions for where Nets star might get traded - Dylan Svoboda - New York Post
- Kyrie Irving requests trade from Nets after rejecting contract extension - Kristian WInfield - New York Daily News
- Reports: Kyrie Irving asks Brooklyn Nets for a trade before the NBA trade deadline - Barbara Barker - Newsday
- Kyrie Irving’s trade request is a ‘smart business move’ and Nets could still make a run, former coach says - Adam Zagoria - NJ.com
- Kyrie Irving’s Desired Contract Revealed - Chris Milholen - Sports Illustrated
- Kyrie Irving Still Interested in Lakers Trade - Chris Milholen - Sports Illustrated
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