Accordingly, the point guard informed the franchise that he wants to switch to another team before the February 9th deadline. The Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns have reportedly already expressed their interest in a possible deal for Irving, and the Dallas Mavericks are expected to do so shortly.
At the end of January, Irving’s stepmother and agent Shetellia Riley-Irving confirmed to Bleacher Report that he was aiming for a long-term contract extension with the Nets. However, ESPN reported that Brooklyn was hesitant without further assurance that Irving would play reliably at a high level and remain free of controversy. The exact reason why the 30-year-old has now decided against staying is not clear from the reports.
There had already been a negotiation drama between Irving and the Nets in the previous offseason because he wanted a long-term contract extension and was met with deaf ears in Brooklyn. However, because the interest in Irving was limited, he decided to exercise his player option and become an unrestricted free agent until 2023.
It seems likely that Irving hopes for a long-term contract extension with a new team, which could limit the choice of possible landing places. Furthermore, other teams in the league are reportedly considering that Irving’s public trade request is only a means of positioning himself better for possible contract negotiations.
NBA: Teams Await Kevin Durant’s Reaction Irving’s reported goal of extending his contract with Brooklyn is a maximum contract worth $198.5 million over four years, currently he earns $36.9 million in the last season of his expiring contract. If he is traded, he can sign an extension of no more than $78.6 million over two years by June 30th of this year with his new team.
According to reports, interested teams are not convinced to invest such resources in Irving, in addition to the required value in a trade. Instead, some franchises are already eager to see how Kevin Durant will react to his teammate’s request, and whether he could be available in a trade.
At the start of the season, Irving was suspended after promoting a controversial film on his Twitter account. He was suspended indefinitely after refusing to apologize, but returned to the court after two weeks.
Irving has been averaging 27.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 5.3 assists for the Nets this season. With 31 wins and 20 losses, the Brooklyn team is currently fourth in the Eastern Conference.
