Nets players likely felt a sense of déjà vu Friday.
Kyrie Irving kicked off the weekend by reportedly requesting a trade out of Brooklyn. The star point guard’s reported ask came roughly eight months after Kevin Durant allegedly voiced a desire to be traded by the Nets as well. Durant ultimately was not moved by Brooklyn ahead of the 2022-23 NBA season, and with Irving playing at an All-Star level by his side, the Nets started to look like a legitimate championship contender.
The 2023 Finals no longer look like realistic for Brooklyn now that Irving could be shipped out of town by Feb. 9. Nic Claxton on Saturday was asked if there was any chance Irving could follow a similar path as KD and stick around with the Nets, but the fourth-year center dodged the question in pretty funny fashion.
“I have no idea,” Claxton told reporters, per a clip shared by HoopsHype’s Michael Scott. “I just work here at the end of the day.”
Jacque Vaughn also claims to not know if there’s a chance Irving plays the rest of the season with Brooklyn. The Nets head coach acknowledged he recently had a conversation with the eight-time All-Star, but he said the two didn’t talk business.
