The rollercoaster that has been the Kevin Durant-Kyrie Irving duo in Brooklyn continues. On Friday, Irving requested a trade out of Brooklyn, the second request he has made as a Net.
According to Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report, the Nets, and Irving could not agree to a contract extension. As reported by The Athletic’s Shams Charania, the Nets offered a contract with “guaranteed stipulations,” which Irving’s camp was against as he wants a fully guaranteed deal.
“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
Irving is in the final year of the four-year, $136.49 million contract he signed with Brooklyn in the 2019 offseason.
As mentioned, it is the second trade request that Kyrie Irving has made as a Brooklyn Net. Both he and Kevin Durant requested trades during the 2022 offseason before Irving ultimately picked up his player option. Durant rescinded his trade request as well to return to the Nets.
Los Angeles Times writer Dan Woike says that the Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, Dallas Mavericks, and Phoenix Suns are expected to express interest in Irving.
The Brooklyn Nets have had a turbulent time during the years of Irving and Durant’s pairing. Examples include the James Harden trades, the firing of both Kenny Atkinson and Steve Nash as head coaches, and Irving being unable to play home games in 2021-22 due to vaccine mandates.
This year, the Nets are 31-20 and the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference. Irving is averaging 27.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game on 60.4% true shooting in 40 games.
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