New Irving/Nets Report Begs The Question: Why Does KD Still Want Out?
Something isn’t adding up properly on the Nets’ Drama scorecard.
The New York Post’s Brian Lewis reported a bombshell on Tuesday that superstar Kyrie Irving really wants to finish out his four-year contract in Brooklyn next season, even if it’s without good friend Kevin Durant riding alongside, according to Lewis’ source close to Irving.
So, um, why did KD request a trade last month?
The initial reporting indicated that Durant was disappointed that Nets management played hardball in extension negotiations with the mercurial Irving, whose availability issues during his first three seasons here perturbed the team. Even after Irving exercised his nearly $37 million player option, it was assumed that both Irving and the Nets preferred a clean split. And since Irving’s diminished market value wouldn’t return a player anywhere close to his caliber in a trade, Durant reasonably desired a similar exit so he could compete for a championship during his few remaining prime seasons.
Except there is a decent chance that Irving will still be a Net come training camp in September since the Lakers, the sole team that has allegedly expressed interest in trading for a player with his vast talents, don’t have the wherewithal to make a competitive offer without moving their $47 million bricklaying guard Russell Westbrook, a nonstarter for Brooklyn General Manager Sean Marks. Lewis’s source was adamant that Irving’s 2022-23 status with the Nets was never predicated on where KD settled but whether the team still wanted him to play for them after his COVID-19 vaccine obstinance pretty much sabotaged last season.
Lewis is a pro’s pro who normally isn’t prone to issuing bold proclamations without sufficient research. Similarly, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported two weeks ago that Durant was also frustrated that the Warriors, from whom he ditched when signing with Brooklyn in the summer of 2019, won this past season’s title without him while the Nets were swept out of the playoffs by Boston in the first round. As such, KD, who will turn 34 during training camp, was having second thoughts about that four-year extension he signed last offseason.
Unfortunately, while the Nets are reportedly asking for the moon and the sun during trade calls, Durant’s age, hefty contract, and recent injury history have likely been a factor as to why teams haven’t appropriately ponied up for one of the greatest scorers in NBA history. As I noted in a prior post, the continued presence of Ben Simmons on the Nets roster has placed other stars who have signed designated rookie max contract extensions off limits, since teams can only trade for one such player, which further restricts the available prime consideration pool.
Whether any trade partner can bridge such a vast gap in the next few months remains to be seen. That could be why some around the Nets have a speck of hope that all disputing parties can come together in the end, at least for one more season where, with good health, this team would legitimately have the pieces to make a postseason run.
Marks has properly prioritized acquiring more 3-and-D wings this offseason, trading for Utah’s Royce O’Neale and signing free agent T.J. Warren, a terrific boom-or-bust play that will come down to his health. Simmons, should he be fully recovered from the physical and mental maladies that shut him down all last season, is a huge upgrade over the departed Bruce Brown due to his size and playmaking ability, and two-time NBA three-point king Joe Harris should be back from the ankle woes that prematurely ended his 2021-22 season. Other than needing to use one of their few remaining roster spots on another big man to compete with Nicolas Claxton for playing time (Marks still has the $6.3 million taxpayer midlevel exception and some trade exceptions at his disposal), these Nets appear to be more of a complete team on paper than this past season’s version.
However, Durant is obviously aware of all this and yet he has not publicly backed off his trade request. According to a source in a Sports Illustrated article, he may have concluded that the Nets are unsalvageable. Why? If Lewis’ reporting is accurate, the reason can’t solely be traced to the organization’s dealings with Irving. Is it because KD has lost trust in Marks’ acumen when it comes to constructing a championship team? Or Steve Nash’s ability to coach one?
We don’t know. And until we do, we can’t solve the drama’s equation, which will continue to boggle Nets fans’ minds for as long as it plays out, with the cruel end of a title window still considered the most likely result.