Negotiations between Kyrie Irving and the Brooklyn Nets are heating up – but things are sounding increasingly rough for the Nets.
People have been wondering if Irving would be leaving the Nets and they’ve also been wondering if the Nets would even entertain the idea of trading him.
It seemed like Brooklyn wouldn’t budge on their desire to not agree to a sign-and-trade deal with another NBA team.
They want to make Irving’s departure cost him.
NEW | Nets grant Kyrie Irving permission to seek sign-and-trade packages, sources tell the Daily News @Krisplashed, @NYDNSports 🏀
Belief among both league and player circles is that Irving is gone and the Seven-Eleven Era is over before it ever began. https://t.co/Tp7ZIOXtvz
— New York Daily News (@NYDailyNews) June 27, 2022
But maybe they’re changing their tune.
The New York Daily News says that the Nets have granted Irving permission to seek a sign-and-trade package with a team.
The Daily News also reports that belief inside the league is that Irving’s days of playing alongside Kevin Durant are officially done.
Does this mean Irving is most definitely leaving New York?
Trading For Irving
It is important to note that just because the Nets have granted Irving and his team permission to seek out sign-and-trade deals doesn’t mean they will agree to one.
Brooklyn knows what they have with a player like Irving, even though the two sides don’t currently see eye-to-eye.
They will not accept anything less than an A+ deal in a sign-and-trade.
The team wants to make this hard on Irving: since they know he doesn’t want to come back, they will wait for other teams to produce a blockbuster package or they will make him lose money.
Like a scorned lover, the Nets are more than comfortable ruining Irving’s summer by turning down trade after trade until they get one that really blows their hair back.
Breakups are rarely easy and the unfolding one between Irving and the Nets is a prime example of that.
NEXT: Kevin Durant Is Reportedly Fed Up With Nets Management