The Brooklyn Nets appear to be on the verge of a potentially tumultuous summer. Much of it revolves around the future of Kyrie Irving, as the star guard has a player option on his contract. Irving and the Nets have reportedly been in the midst of negotiating an extension, but Brooklyn is not willing to give him a long-term deal.
As such, talks have gone stagnant between the two sides, and teams are keeping an eye out for Irving’s potential availability in a sign-and-trade. But according to a new report from Shams Charania of The Athletic, Irving isn’t the only star whose future in Brooklyn is up in the air, as Kevin Durant is “considering options” regarding his future with the franchise.
Sources: Kevin Durant is monitoring the Brooklyn Nets’ situation and considering options with his future.
This now opens the path for Kyrie Irving to proceed on finding a new home via opt-in and trade.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 23, 2022
An Irving sign-and-trade is not new, as many of the teams mentioned to have interest in him don’t have the ability to sign him outright. Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports that Irving does have a list of teams where he’d like to go if he cannot come to terms on a new deal, although it is unclear whether or not his interest in those teams is reciprocated.
ESPN Sources: If Kyrie Irving can’t reach an agreement to stay with Brooklyn, he has a list of teams he’d like them to consider on sign-and-trades, including Lakers, Clippers, Knicks, Heat, Mavs and 76ers. None of those teams have cap space to sign him without Nets’ help.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 23, 2022
Those are teams who Irving has interest in, but he isn’t necessarily a priority for all of them, sources said.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 23, 2022
On Wednesday, Wojnarowski wrote that the preference for all the parties involved is that the Nets and Irving are able to come to terms on a new contract. It is unclear if that has changed in the last day or if Durant and Irving are getting their ducks in a row should something drastic happen.
Source: https://uproxx.com/dimemag/kevin-durant-kyrie-irving-list-teams-nets-sign-trade-rumors/