Tayfun Coskun / Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
Brooklyn Nets defender Kyrie Irving has not yet decided whether he will stay in place this off-season, but he already has a long list of teams he would be interested in if he parted ways with Brooklyn.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski announced on Thursday that Irving would like the Nets to pursue subscriptions and deals with a number of teams, including the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers and New York Knicks:
Adrian Wojnarowski @wojespn
ESPN sources: If Kyrie Irving can’t reach an agreement to stay with Brooklyn, he has a list of teams he’d like to consider signing and exchanging, including the Lakers, Clippers, Knicks, Heath, Mavs and 76ers. None of these teams have a place to sign it without the help of the Nets.
Voynarovsky added that Irving “is not necessarily a priority” for all teams he would be interested in joining.
Shams Charania of Athletic and Stadium announced later in the day that Irving was expected to “find a new home soon through the option to choose and trade.”
Shams Charania @ShamsCharania
Online, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving: pic.twitter.com/xphBIP8LB3
Irving has until June 29 to decide whether to exercise or reject his $ 36.5 million player option for the 2022-2023 season. If he chooses to become a free agent, he will probably have to donate a significant amount of money to sign elsewhere.
Irving’s preference is to sign a long-term extension with the Nets, as they are the only team that can sign a maximum five-year contract with him. However, Brooklyn reportedly did not share that enthusiasm. Christian Winfield from New York Daily News announced last month that the Nets “just don’t want” to sign a long-term deal with him.
Brooklyn’s hesitation to sign Irving stems from a lack of availability during his three-year time on the team. He has played in just 103 games of the regular season due to a combination of injuries, personal absences and his refusal to abide by New York’s vaccine mandates. Irving lost $ 17 million in matches he missed last season because he chose not to get vaccinated.
The lack of certainty about Irving’s situation is beginning to affect the other Brooklyn star. According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Kevin Durant “watches [Nets’] situation and considering options for its future. “Charania noted that this added wrinkle” now paves the way for Irving to continue to find a new home through selection and trading. “
Until Irving makes his final decision, he will remain one of the most profile storylines of the off-season.
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