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The Brooklyn Nets dynasty that wasn’t about to collapse.
As the NBA world deals with the huge commercial demand for Kevin Durant, it’s becoming clear that Kyrie Irving is also likely to head elsewhere.
“Everyone plays in Brooklyn for sure,” ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said on Thursday. “I think it’s highly likely that not only Kevin Durant but Kyrie Irving has played his last game for the Nets.” NBA today.
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Wojnarowski reports that Durant called Nets owner Joe Tsai earlier on Thursday to formally request a deal. The situation was brewing behind the scenes, as Durant cut off contact with the Copper Nets for weeks.
Durant’s feud with the organization has taken months in the making and appears to be focused on the team’s treatment of Irving, his old friend. Logan Murdock The Ranger reported that Durant “feels the front office has not developed an understanding of Kerry” during the three years the couple were in Brooklyn.
Irving damaged his reputation last season by not being vaccinated against the Covid-19 virus, which was limited to 29 games because he was unable to play in home games for much of the season under the New York state for vaccination. The situation became a distraction that undermined the Nets’ efforts to win a championship and played a role in James Harden’s season average request to trade with the Philadelphia 76ers.
Irving also left the team during the 2020-21 season to take care of personal matters and played in just 103 games in three seasons with Brooklyn.
Wojnarowski said Durant hopes to keep playing for Irving — not just in Brooklyn.
“They wanted to play together, they want to keep playing together, but the sense is they don’t want to do it together in Brooklyn anymore,” He said.
It would be impossible for any team to put together the salary needed to get both Durant and Irving. They seem to have become so frustrated with the franchise that they are willing to give up ways to play elsewhere.
Irving’s decision to sign his contract for the 2022-23 season appears to be a ploy to give himself better options across the trade. Signing and commerce would have greatly limited the number of suitors.
