Kevin Durant very well could be traded out of Brooklyn this summer, but that doesn’t mean his current Nets running mate will follow in his footsteps.
Following Durant’s trade request, many assumed Irving would ask out of Brooklyn as well. After all, there was chatter about the star point guard finding a new home before he ultimately decided to pick up his player option for the 2022-23 season.
But according to the New York Post’s Brian Lewis, Irving currently intends on playing for the Nets even if Durant isn’t on the team.
“Here is the situation. He (Irving) opted in, which means he had and he has every intention of playing with the Brooklyn Nets,” an anonymous source told Lewis. “KD decides he wants out and now everybody is talking about trading Kyrie, right?
“Kyrie has not asked for a trade. Now, if the Nets don’t want him, that’s something totally different. Kyrie has not said he wants a trade. He opted in. (So where did) the trade conversations come from? Is it because, KD requested a trade and now everybody’s like let’s trade Ky? Kyrie opted in.”
Riding it out with Brooklyn after a potential Durant trade theoretically wouldn’t be the worst move for both Irving and the Nets. Brooklyn likely would receive at least one star player in such a blockbuster, so Irving wouldn’t be tasked with carrying the team on his shoulders. Furthermore, Irving likely prefers comfortable and familiar surroundings as he enters a contract year.
So while Irving and Durant long have been viewed as a package deal of sorts, we probably should start looking at the pair of superstars as different entities.
