Brooklyn Nets All-Star guard Kyrie Irving requested a trade, league sources told The Athletic’s Shams Charania.
The Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix Suns, and Dallas Mavericks have emerged as potential suitors for Irving, Charania adds.
Irving reportedly informed the Nets on Friday that he prefers to be moved ahead of the Feb. 9 trade deadline or he’ll leave in free agency in July.
Irving is seeking a contract extension worth close to the maximum four years and $198.5-million Brooklyn can offer, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The eight-time All-Star is in the final season of a four-year, $136.4-million contract after he exercised his $36.5-million player option for this season last summer.
The Nets offered Irving a multi-year contract extension that included stipulations over guaranteed money in the final season of the deal, Charania reported on “The Pat McAfee Show.” Irving didn’t receive the proposed contract well and “significant differences” arose between the player and the organization, Charania added. In late January, Irving was looking to stay in Brooklyn.
Despite Irving’s trade request, rival clubs are more interested in teammate Kevin Durant’s reaction to it and his future with the franchise, Wojnarowski reports. Durant requested a trade from the Nets last offseason but later rescinded it.
Irving’s representation didn’t request specific trade destinations, Wojnarowski adds.
Irving has a 15% trade kicker worth $2.1 million that Brooklyn would be responsible for, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks.
In July, the Nets and Lakers reportedly discussed a deal that would have sent Irving to L.A. for a package including Russell Westbrook.
The Nets suspended Irving on Nov. 3 after he failed to disavow antisemitism in the wake of tweeting a link to a film that features antisemitic tropes. Irving eventually apologized, completed a list of team-issued tasks, and returned after missing eight games.
At last season’s trade deadline, the Nets dealt former MVP James Harden to the Philadelphia 76ers for a haul that included Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, and Andre Drummond after Harden requested a trade from Brooklyn.
The 30-year-old Irving is averaging 27.1 points, 5.3 assists, 5.1 rebounds, and a steal in 40 games for Brooklyn this season. The Nets currently hold a 31-20 record, good for fourth in the Eastern Conference.
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