Kyrie Irving is going to be one of the most prized free agents this offseason if he declines the player option in his contract and hits the open market. The Athletic has reported that Irving’s talks on an extension with the Nets have stalled. While Irving could spend another year in Brooklyn if he accepts his option, the rumors linking him outside of Brooklyn are already flowing.
The New York Knicks and the Los Angeles Lakers have already been linked to Irving, putting the Nets in a very tough position. Shams Charania is one of the most credible sources in the league, so this report is going to have some bones behind it.
The news has already reached Irving who seems to have responded to it on Twitter with a gif that doesn’t exactly confirm or deny the rumors that have hit the platform since The Athletic’s report came out.
— Kyrie🤞🏾 (@KyrieIrving) June 20, 2022
If this was a false report, Irving would probably deny it instantly. He has taken various shots at the media for reporting things about him that aren’t true, so if this was something that wasn’t on the cards Irving would have stated his commitment to the Nets. Unless Irving actually wants to stay in Brooklyn and is using this story as leverage in his contract discussions.
Irving could literally pick the destination he wants by virtue of being a free agent, so he is not at the mercy of the Nets to trade him away either. However, if he genuinely wants to go to a team like the Lakers, he will need the Nets to trade him there due to the contract situation in LA.
Teams like the Knicks can make space to accommodate Irving better than the Lakers can, so even if the Nets don’t cooperate on a trade, Irving can walk right into the arms of their New York rivals. Either way, the ball is in Kyrie’s court and he will try his best to come out of this with exactly what he wants.
