Kyrie Irving unstable negotiations with Nets risk ‘alienating’ Kevin Durant
The stalled negotiations between Irving and the Nets have resulted in speculation that Durant could request a trade if his teammate leaves Brooklyn.
Kyrie Irving’s future with the Brooklyn Nets remains unsettled, which seem to have broader ramifications for the organization.
With all the drama that’s been happening between the 30-year-old and the organization, whether it be for his anti-vaccination stand, his not-so-trusted personality, or for his constant injuries, there is now a more realistic possibility for Irving to leave this offseason.
Is Durant being alienated by the Nets?
NBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski reported Wednesday that while the Nets are trying to balance being disciplined in their ongoing talks with the superstar Irving, they are potentially alienating their most important player, Kevin Durant. Additionally, he shared that some teams are “rooting for Irving to opt-out and walk away from the Nets,” because they believe “it would give them a chance to cobble together trade packages to acquire Durant.”
Wojnarowski also added that with Durant just starting a four-year extension, he’s tied contractually to Brooklyn, which means that an ideal case scenario would be for the Nets to “find a way to do a deal that still gives them some leverage to get Irving on the court next season, but certainly, if he’s willing to take significantly less money, he could walk, he could perhaps sign that $6 million exception with the Lakers.” Wojnarowski also wrote that that would be a $30 million pay cut, but that “last year, he (Irving) lost about $17 million for being unvaccinated and out of the Nets lineup.”
In a following report, the NBA Insider also pointed out that the drama surrounding Irving has made it less easy for Brooklyn to “keep and court players.”
Conversations between Irving and the Lakers
Rumors continue to murmur around the league since Monday’s primary report, which our own Juanmo Rubio impeccably explains in detail here, to the point where Irving is believed to have “had some recent contact with Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James”, according to Marc Stein.
Los Angeles was one of three teams that were linked as possible suitors for Irving in Monday’s report.
Irving needs to decide
Irving, who is still one of the greatest offensive talents in NBA history, has until June 29 to decide on what to do about his player option for next season.