After a chaotic season and a highly uncertain summer, Kyrie Irving has reportedly made peace with returning to play for the Nets this campaign. As his teammate, and co-star, Kevin Durant angles to force himself some place else, Irving is prepping for training camp with Ben Simmons and company.
Still, just because things are good between Irving and the Nets doesn’t mean that trust hasn’t been lost. As reported by ESPN’s Nick Friedell, the organization doesn’t feel like it can rely on Irving to show up and play his best consistently.
Nick Friedell on Kyrie and Nets:
"The team and organization, they don't trust him. And that trust has eroded over time."
(via @NickFriedell) pic.twitter.com/RqgSW9ydJe
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) August 19, 2022
Considering Irving’s behavior over the past year, it’s understandable why the Nets might feel distrustful. Instead of getting the vaccine and making himself available to play, he refused the shot and essentially abandoned his squad for the sake of making a point.
And while he clashed with both marks and Nash over the past year, his agent has denied that Irving has any ill-will towards them.
It’s always tricky to tell what can be believed with Kyrie and what can’t, and now the report of him hating the Nets duo is also being disputed. This comes straight from his agent too, his stepmother Shetallia Riley Irving, who explained to the New York Post that Irving is a man of peace and doesn’t hate anyone.
“I am not sure where this narrative is coming from, but Kyrie does not hate Steve nor Sean. That’s not a part of his being nor how he represents himself in the world. He’s about peace, love, and acceptance,” his agent and stepmother Shetallia Riley Irving told The Post.
Whatever is really going on in Brooklyn, the situation is complicated at best. While Irving has not outright said anything about wanting a trade, it is clear that the Nets will not be a long-term home for Uncle Drew.
With his contract set to expire next summer, it is likely that both sides will move on sooner rather than later. But, for now, Kyrie is going to keep playing nice as he waits things out.
