Kyrie Irving may have asked his way out of Brooklyn, but expert opinion suggests that it’s not simple for the guard to land a good deal with a team of his preference.
For now, the Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas Mavericks, and the Phoenix Suns are looked at as some of the top destinations for Irving to ply his trade. The Nets star has been in good form averaging 27.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 5.3 assists.
He will be a solid addition to any of the above teams which are all looked at as potential playoff contenders. However, per CBS Sports’ James Herbert, Irving’s request for a trade also comes with a certain set of challenges.
For starters, the analyst opined that the guard’s leverage earlier in the season was that he would leave in free agency, but he did eventually return with Brooklyn by picking up his $37 million player option.
And just like last summer, even though Irving is looking elsewhere, he still has to work with Brooklyn. While he can demand an extension less than three months after the team suspended him during an antisemitism scandal, and he can create another huge distraction when he doesn’t get what he wants, he can’t trade himself.
Herbert also noted that is eligible to sign an extension worth four years, and that was something he was looking for from a new franchise, but the teams he’s looking for are not on the list. His options were the Houston Rockets, the Utah Jazz, and the San Antonio Spurs, but the question was if Irving even had those teams in his mind.
Kyrie Irving Has A Hefty Asking Price
While he may not have any dearth of suitors, Irving’s services do come at a cost, and that means the teams looking to sign him are looking at breaking the bank.
The guard is expecting a four-year deal with close to $200 million as the asking price, a steep number. And while that’s a bit of bother for a team like the Lakers, Irving has also proved that he’s good enough for the money — his off-court controversies aside.
Only time will tell if Irving will indeed get the number he’s looking for. Earlier, one of the NBA executives suggested that he may not get a contract that goes beyond two years, but this is the NBA, and stranger things have happened.
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