Getty Kyrie Irving #11 of the Brooklyn Nets
The Brooklyn Nets and Kyrie Irving contract negotiation drama has taken another turn. On June 27, it was reported by Kristian Winfield of The New York Daily News that the team has given Irving permission to seek potential sign and trade partners.
“Kyrie Irving has requested and received permission from the Nets to find sign-and-trade offers from other teams. Kevin Durant still hasn’t spoken to [the] Nets front office,” Winfield said via his Twitter on June 27.
Sources: Kyrie Irving has requested and received permission from the Nets to find sign-and-trade offers from other teams. Kevin Durant still hasn’t spoken to Nets front office. Russell Westbrook to Brooklyn remains unlikely. More for @NYDNSports
Before this it had just been rumors that Irving had a list of teams he would be interested in being traded to as reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Then Irving was reportedly interested in signing for the Los Angeles Lakers even if that meant taking a pay cut.
“I’ve been told, by someone in the know, that Kyrie would consider going to the Lakers for the $6M mid-level exception,” Broussard reported. “I don’t know how much stock that I’m putting into it. But I have been told that he’ll consider it.”
Now, the rumors have been confirmed and the Nets point guard has been granted permission to seek sign-and-trade partners for the Nets. However, despite being given permission to do so, the interest may not be there for other teams.
Only One Team Interested in Kyrie Sign-and-Trade
On June 27, shortly after the news that Brooklyn granted Irving permission to seek offers from other teams Adrian Wojnarowski added to his reporting that right now, there isn’t much interest.
“ESPN Sources: Outside of the Lakers, there are currently no known teams planning pursuit of sign-and-trades for Nets G Kyrie Irving. No sign-and-trades can be formally discussed until after 6 PM on Thursday. Brooklyn isn’t believed to have interest in available Lakers packages.” Wojnarowski tweeted.
ESPN Sources: Outside of the Lakers, there are currently no known teams planning pursuit of sign-and-trades for Nets G Kyrie Irving. No sign-and-trades can be formally discussed until after 6 PM on Thursday. Brooklyn isn’t believed to have interest in available Lakers packages.
Perhaps the lack of interest with Kyrie Irving could be because of the drama. Or it could be because teams already have their eyes on the potential fallout that would be there for Kevin Durant if Irving departs.
ESPN’s Zach Lowe already stated that teams are currently preparing for the chance that Durant becomes available.
“I can tell you this,” Zach Lowe said during The Lowe Post podcast. “This is what teams are doing. Teams are already operating under the… not the assumption, but we need to prepare for the contingency Kevin Durant is available via trade in six days, or seven days.”
‘Uneasiness’ With Nets Front Office
On the latest episode of the Ringer’s Mismatch podcast, Logan Murdock, who spent time with Durant for a March profile, reported where things may stand with the Nets as an organization.
“I made some calls. Kevin Durant has not talked to the team in weeks. I don’t think Kevin is confident in the front office right now. I don’t know if he’s at the stage of leaving, but there’s a big uneasiness from not only from the Kyrie side but the KD side as well…
“His biggest beef is that he feels that the front office didn’t grow to understand Kyrie, whatever that means. I would push back on that when a guy leaves for two weeks at a time … Kyrie earns the lion’s share of the blame. But I think KD believes that ‘hey, you guys didn’t understand this guy. You didn’t try to figure out where he was coming from.’
The Nets not understanding Kyrie definitely feels like a real possibility based on how everything has played out. After it was reported a few weeks ago that the team was ‘unwilling’ to sign Irving long-term, it has turned into a frenzy of news and rumors. Now, Irving has to decide first if he will opt-out of the final year on his player option. After that more and more will be seen on the truth of these reports.