After no talks about a long-term contract with the club, Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving has submitted a trade request, sources told ESPN on Friday. Irving, who will become a free agent this summer, wants out before Thursday’s NBA trade deadline. The Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns have expressed interest in discussing a trade with Irving and the Dallas Mavericks hope to do so soon, sources told ESPN.
Irving didn’t give a list of preferred teams, but his market is low and he’s fully expecting a team to trade him with the intention of signing him to an extension. The Nets and Irving’s agent Shetellia Riley-Irving have recently discussed an extension, but Brooklyn continues to be quick to sign a long-term commitment without further evidence that Irving can stay. be confident, perform at a high level and maintain an argument, sources said.
Rivals expect the Nets to support the possibility of a trade seeking to be involved in contract negotiations, which could affect the organization moving forward. about a possible deal with Irving. Irving, who is in the final year of a contract that pays him $36.9 million, has asked for an extension of $198.5 million over four years through June 30, sources said.
If Irving is traded, he is eligible to sign a two-year, $78.6 million deal with his new team through June 30. The Suns have a new owner, Matt Ishbia, who is set to be finalized in the coming days and a roster that could provide the Nets with the best possible combination of players and picks in the potential market.
The Lakers’ LeBron James has been a proponent of reuniting with Irving in Los Angeles, but it is unclear whether the Lakers will make the 2027 and 2029 first-round picks available in a potential trade. Dallas General Manager Nico Harrison has had a long relationship with Irving since he was an executive at Nike, and Mavericks coach Jason Kidd also has a relationship with Irving.
The Lakers and Mavericks are winning teams that do not have the skills needed to win for the championship this season, which makes them able to consider a contract with Irving. However, neither team appears to be willing to trade in hopes of landing Irving the long-term, max-level contract he is seeking, sources said.
Both teams will be eligible to sign Irving to a two-year, $78.6 million extension when they trade him, but even contending teams looking to acquire him before Thursday’s deadline are wary of Irving’s trust in those posts, sources said. The Lakers and Mavericks are also privately expressing interest in offering large trade assets for Irving, sources said.
The big issue for Brooklyn is how All-NBA star Kevin Durant responds to Irving’s trade request and whether that makes him reconsider his future with the organization before Thursday’s deadline. Most teams are more interested in how this situation might play out than trying to find out about Irving.
Before that season, Irving was looking at the possibility of entering a trade, but the interest in the team was low, and Irving decided to go for the last year of his contract. Durant had requested a trade early before rescinding the request in September.
The Nets are 31-20 but have lost seven of 11 games since Durant suffered an MCL sprain. He is expected to return shortly before or after the All-Star break in mid-February. Irving, 30, is averaging 27.1 points, 5.3 assists and 5.1 rebounds per game this season.