Will he stay or will he go?
That is the question that has surrounded Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving this summer.
The Los Angeles Lakers have attempted to trade for him, but to no avail. In fact, at least one report has claimed the North Jersey native is at least OK with staying on the Nets.
Of course, Kevin Durant also wants to be traded, but the Nets haven’t found a deal they like for him yet.
According to Mark W. Sanchez and Josh Kosmanthe of the New York Post, Irving is unhappy with the leadership in Brooklyn.
Via New York Post:
“A source close to the Nets organization indicated Durant is not the only Nets star unhappy with the team’s leadership.
“‘Kyrie Irving hates these guys,’ the source said. ‘He feels that Nash is terrible and Marks is bad.’
“KD came to the same conclusion,’ the source added.”
But it isn’t as simple as that.
The other side of the Irving saga
On Tuesday, Shams Charania of The Athletic went on the “Pat McAfee Show” and gave his take on Irving’s current situation.
"The plan right now is for Kyrie Irving to be a Net this season" ~@ShamsCharania#PMSLive pic.twitter.com/qkADBfdig9
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) August 9, 2022
“So I mean, right now, Kyrie Irving he opted into his contract. He’s committed to the Nets. From everything I’ve been told, he’s been doing everything behind the scenes. When you think about leadership, when you think, he’s worked out with teammates this offseason. Continuing to have those conversations with Sean Marks, Steve Nash. From his side, he’s entering the last year of his deal, there’s not really much of a place for him to really rock the boat. I think what you’re going to see from Kyrie Irving is just a level of high professionalism and I think that’s what he’s shown since he’s opted in. Now, the other side is this, him and Kevin Durant are very close. This is something that everyone knows. And I think at the end of the day, whatever Kevin Durant wants to do, go through with the trade request, have feelings this way or that way, he’s going to always support Kevin Durant as a friend and his happiness. But as far as, you know, where this leaves him and the Nets I think, whether Kevin Durant is traded or not, I think Kyrie Irving has an opportunity to still be a Net and I think the likelihood is still that right now the plan is for him to stay a Net going into training camp and the season. These things can always change, but I don’t believe as this stands right now, if Kevin Durant is traded, it’s a foregone conclusion that Kyrie Irving’s traded. I think that it’s really going to be about how these conversations keep going.”
It’s always possible that the only reason Irving is showing the type of professionalism Charania mentioned is that he is still a member of the Nets and because Durant isn’t close to getting traded right now.
As has been the case all offseason, things seem murky with Irving, and it’s anyone’s best guess what will happen with him by the end of the summer.
