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The Brooklyn Nets remain noncommittal on offering their All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving a long-term extension. Kyrie still has one year left on his current deal with the Nets and has a player option where he can elect to either opt in to the final year of his deal, or opt out and become a free agent this summer.
The Nets have had their fair share of issues with Irving since his arrival to the franchise in 2019. And while trading Kyrie would be an outcome that is less than ideal for the Nets, it would be a much better outcome than letting him walk for nothing. In a new report from Chris Miller of “NBC Sports Washington”, the reporter suggests a trade in which the Nets trade Kyrie Irving to the Miami Heat in exchange for Tyler Herro.
“If they want to, Miami has a chance to add a really good player this offseason in a sign-and-trade. They have a ton of depth highlighted by shooting and defense and a young player on the rise in Tyler Herro, who just won the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award. He is constantly mentioned in sign-and-trade scenarios and in this case, could go to Brooklyn in a package for Irving,” Miller writes per ”NBC Sports Washington”.
“The Heat have a top-5 defense and the 10th-ranked offense, but as we’ve seen in the playoffs, could use a dynamic scorer who can create for himself like Irving. Whether he could meld with their system and culture is a fair question, but he seems like the perfect player to get them over the top and combat the suffocating defenses of the top teams in the East.”
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Bulls Could Also Be Landing Spot for Kyrie
Irving has a unique personality. And while he is considered by many as a lot to take on in terms of his actions off of the court, when he plays, he is one of the NBA’s greatest talents. So, if he were to hit the free-agent market, he could have a lot of suitors. Miller also notes that in the event of a sign and trade, the Chicago Bulls could also be a potential suitor for Irving.
“This is entirely predicated on the possibility Zach LaVine leaves in free agency. There seems to be some momentum behind that happening, between reports out of Chicago and also LaVine saying publicly he’s always been a Lakers fan,” Miller writes per “NBC Sports Washington”.
“Whether it’s L.A. or not, it seems entirely possible he bolts and leaves the Bulls with a roster ready to win and a hole in their backcourt. Irving could fill that spot nicely; the problem would just be making a deal work to get him there. It wouldn’t be easy, but Irving would be an ideal replacement for LaVine if it comes to that.”
Nets Open to Sign and Trade for Kyrie
Kyrie only played 29 games with the Nets in 2022, which has contributed to the reluctance of general manager Sean Marks and the Nets front office to offer him a long-term deal. If he does decide to part with the franchise, Ian Begley of SNY says that Marks and the Nets front office would be willing to move him via a sign and trade.
“The club doesn’t have many options if it decided to move on from Irving this offseason. Several teams planning for the offseason expect Irving to ultimately remain in Brooklyn. But if Irving opts out of his $37.5 million option for next season, the contract negotiations between Irving and the Nets will be interesting,” Begley writes via SNY.
“The New York Daily News reported on Wednesday that the Nets were unwilling to offer Irving a long-term contract. SNY has not independently confirmed that report. But if Irving opts out and the Nets have trouble finding common ground with the seven-time All-Star, opposing teams believe the club will be open to exploring trades of Irving.”
Whether or not the Nets will retain Irving remains to be seen. But one thing is for sure, Brooklyn has a much better chance of winning the title with him than without him.
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