Nets have no interests in accommodating Kyrie Irving, could use his salary as filler for another trade

[T]he Nets have no interest in accommodating Kyrie Irving. They have no interest in doing it. If it comes up maybe a three-team trade or a four-team trade to get the Nets satisfied with what they want. To get them maybe a start. To take draft picks …

[T]he Nets have no interest in accommodating Kyrie Irving. They have no interest in doing it. If it comes up maybe a three-team trade or a four-team trade to get the Nets satisfied with what they want. To get them maybe a start. To take draft picks from Phoenix and reroute them somewhere else… Kyrie might get thrown into that four-team trade just as salary ballast. He’s going to be used as a tool to help the Nets.”
Source: Net Income @ NetsDaily

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
Crazy stat I thought of while writing this morning’s story. With Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving headed out, Nic Claxton, who has played 94 regular season games in his career, becomes the second-longest tenured Net. He only trails Joe Harris, of course: theathletic.com/3393165/2022/0…2:54 PM
Arash Markazi @ArashMarkazi
Kyrie Irving Next Team IF Traded from the Nets:
LA Lakers – 1/3
New York Knicks – 5/1
LA Clippers – 6/1
Kevin Durant Next Team IF Traded from the Nets:
Phoenix Suns – 1/1
Miami Heat – 7/2
Toronto Raptors – 4/1
New Orleans Pelicans – 6/1
LA Lakers – 7/1
via @betonline_ag2:17 PM
Mark Deeks @MarkDeeksNBA
In absolutely no way is this reporting, just a fan of the whole thing riffing out loud –
This Kyrie to the Lakers thing is taking on an air of inevitability. – 1:56 PM
Joe Vardon @joevardon
Under normal circumstances, Nets owner Joe Tsai would understand Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving’s tactics as course of business. But these last three years have been anything but normal, and Tsai has a legitimate complaint, ⁦@The Athletictheathletic.com/3393222/2022/0…1:53 PM
StatMuse @statmuse
Last three players to record a 50/40/90% season (min. 25 MPG):
— Kyrie Irving
— Malcolm Brogdon
— Steph Curry pic.twitter.com/fcK6xIGMlV1:42 PM

Zach Lowe @ZachLowe_NBA
Late night Lowe Post free agency podcast w/ @Kevin Pelton: KD/trade dynamics, KD’s career arc, Ayton, Kyrie’s future (LAL? Buyout?), Hawks/Spurs, Brunson/NYK, Sixers sucking me back in, Gobert, Wolves, Wiz, DEN, more:
Spotify: spoti.fi/3OQTdpe
Apple: apple.co/3QUIHPw1:05 PM
Brad Turner @BA_Turner
Worked with My dude ⁦@Dan Woike⁩ for this in ⁦@latimessports⁩ on: Kyrie Irving still in the Lakers’ picture to rejoin LeBron James latimes.com/sports/lakers/…1:04 PM
Kamenetzky Brothers @KamBrothers
We’ll be on @ESPNLosAngeles for @Allen Sliwa and @TravisRodgers from 10am-1pm PT. Talking Lakers free agency, Kyrie to the Lakers rumors, USC/UCLA to the Big 10, Dodgers, and more. Taking your #AskSli (or #AskKam) questions at 10:45. Listen up! – 12:37 PM
Adam Zagoria @AdamZagoria
KD and Kyrie landing spot odds per @betonline_ag pic.twitter.com/061DJOSBGL12:27 PM

Kamenetzky Brothers @KamBrothers
Friday’s @LockedOnLakers podcast! We discuss the Lakers day 1 free agency signings (Walker, Jones, Toscano-Anderson, Jones), plus the latest iteration of “Kyrie to the Lakers!!!” rumors. #FirstListen @LockedOnNetwork @LockedOnNBAPods
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lak…12:20 PM
Mark Medina @MarkG_Medina
Lots to get into on the Lakers and possibly getting Kyrie Irving and reuniting him with LeBron James. I’ll discuss that & more on @NBATV with @NabilKarimTV, @Greg Anthony & Ryan McDonough. Tune in at 9:30 am PT on.nba.com/32wcN7b12:01 PM
Gordon Gross @GMoneyNuggs
At this time I would like to thank Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving for making the Nets so untenable that a free agent leaves Brooklyn for Denver. Appreciate the effort, fellas. – 11:11 AM
Joe Vardon @joevardon
Before Kevin Durant trade request, Nets owner Joseph Tsai already had reason to be furious, which is why KD and Kyrie will likely both be dealt, ⁦@The Athletictheathletic.com/3393222/2022/0…10:10 AM
Chris Mannix @SIChrisMannix
NEW @TheCrossover Pod w/@Howard Beck: Unpacking Kevin Durant’s trade requests — and what the Nets options could be for Durant and Kyrie Irving. Links: bit.ly/2w1G5e29:52 AM
Steve Bulpett @SteveBHoop
My latest on Heavy:
— GM goes off on the danger of dealing for Kyrie
— Philly types enjoying a little schadenfreude for now with Ben Simmons’ protection leaving town
— League exec offers warning about “doing a solid” and expecting to be paid back
bit.ly/3Af8yvN9:08 AM
Sam Vecenie @Sam_Vecenie
Full episode of the bonus podcast with @Alex Schiffer is up.
Everything on Kevin Durant’s trade request. His intel on how it went down. Where the Nets go from here. Fake trade packages. Kyrie. All of it.
APPLE: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/gam…
WATCH: youtu.be/rMpZi8bn6to8:48 AM
Chris Mannix @SIChrisMannix
Roundtable! @TheCrossover staff reacts to Kevin Durant’s trade request and dives into the Nets options for Durant and Kyrie Irving si.com/nba/2022/07/01…8:43 AM
Zach Lowe @ZachLowe_NBA
Lowe Post podcast: Recapping a wild 24 hours in the NBA w/ @Kevin Pelton: KD trade request, Kyrie’s next home (Lakers?), Hawks/Spurs, Sixers, Wiz/Beal, Wolves/KAT, Gobert rumors, Lakers, Clippers, much, much more:
Apple: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fir…
Spotify: open.spotify.com/episode/64MivV…1:33 AM
Vincent Goodwill @VinceGoodwill
New for ⁦@YahooSports⁩: Kevin Durant’s trade request doesn’t absolve him of blame for the biggest failure in NBA history (plus details on possible outcome for Kyrie, insight on Durant and Phoenix/Miami) sports.yahoo.com/kevin-durants-…12:51 AM
Kamenetzky Brothers @KamBrothers
Brooklyn has no incentive to tank, but they also have no reason to worry about their record, either. That undercuts the threat from Durant and Kyrie of refusing to play if they’re not traded. So what? The season’s toast anyway. Get the offer you want. AK – 11:58 PM
Brian Lewis @NYPost_Lewis
Ben Simmons now key to #Nets‘ rebuild with Durant, Irving on their way out nypost.com/2022/06/30/nba… via @nypostsports11:54 PM
Mark Medina @MarkG_Medina
Lots to get into on Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant and everything else in NBA free agency. Looking forward toward analyzing first day of NBA free agency with @SwollenDome & @ohrnberger on @FoxSportsRadio. Tune in at 8:20 pm PT ihr.fm/2IBN81n11:05 PM
Steve Bulpett @SteveBHoop
New on Heavy:
— GM goes off on the danger of dealing for Kyrie
— Philly types enjoying a little schadenfreude for now with Ben Simmons’ protection leaving town
— League exec offers warning about “doing a solid” and expecting to be paid back
bit.ly/3Af8yvN11:01 PM
Brian Geltzeiler @BGeltzNBA
The Nets two biggest mistakes of this Durant/Kyrie era were, somewhat ironically, trading for Harden and then trading Harden. Not sure which one was the bigger error… – 10:50 PM
Sam Vecenie @Sam_Vecenie
Full episode of the bonus podcast with @Alex Schiffer is up.
Everything on Kevin Durant’s trade request. His intel on how it went down. Where the Nets go from here. Fake trade packages. Kyrie. All of it.
APPLE: https://t.co/hIOdTG6pmm
WATCH: https://t.co/YVptpYQ2wK pic.twitter.com/dL24MIb00H10:47 PM

Kyle Goon @kylegoon
The Lakers start free agency by chasing youth, especially on the wings. But uncertainty hovers over the team’s moves after Kevin Durant’s ground-shaking trade request with the possibility of Kyrie Irving still out there:
ocregister.com/2022/06/30/lak…10:05 PM
Eric Pincus @EricPincus
ICYMI Latest @BleacherReport Would Any of These 4 Teams Help Lakers, Nets Trade Russell Westbrook, Kyrie Irving? — and now with teams spending money, it’s the Spurs on that list who stand out with their cap room still intact: bleacherreport.com/articles/10040…9:54 PM
Jovan Buha @jovanbuha
On the increased likelihood that Kyrie Irving is traded to the Lakers, the potential framework of a two- or three-team deal, the Lakers’ reluctance to trade Anthony Davis for Kevin Durant and more with @Sam Amick: theathletic.com/3394038/2022/0…9:52 PM
StatMuse @statmuse
Point guards with larger contracts than Jalen Brunson:
Steph Curry
Luka Doncic
Trae Young
Russell Westbrook
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Ben Simmons
Damian Lillard
De’Aaron Fox
Jamal Murray
Kyrie Irving
Chris Paul
D’Angelo Russell pic.twitter.com/RnDFehdOjp9:47 PM

Sam Amick @sam_amick
Does the Kevin Durant trade request in Brooklyn give a Kyrie Irving-LeBron James reunion in Laker Land new life? All the answers here, with @Jovan Buha, at @TheAthletic
theathletic.com/3394038/2022/0…9:39 PM
Sam Quinn @SamQuinnCBS
I’m seeing Lakers fans grumble about potentially giving up two 1sts for Kyrie.
24 hours ago we were headed for another Russell Westbrook season. Don’t tempt fate here. If it takes two firsts to get Kyrie you give up two firsts to get Kyrie. – 8:59 PM
Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
Story on the end of the KD/Kyrie era Nets. Three years to the day of the Clean Sweep, Kevin Durant asks for a trade that could be of historic returns: theathletic.com/3393667/2022/0…8:52 PM
Michael Grange @michaelgrange
Talking to a couple of agents with free agents and the sense is that market has slowed to a crawl until KD (and Kyrie, to a lesser extent) situation gets sorted out. Too many things in play, teams don’t want to commit and miss an opportunity, even tangential to main event. – 8:52 PM
Sam Quinn @SamQuinnCBS
Who do we think dislikes Kyrie Irving more: Nets fans or Celtics fans? – 8:46 PM
Chuck Swirsky @ctsbulls
Draft shows are 95% saturated with Kyrie and KD stories—-you know what- this is a huge day for undrafted players who agreed to a generational contract ( Dort) for guys like Anfernee Simons and Jalen Brunson who bet on themselves and will make 25 million a year. Good on them. – 8:42 PM
Tom Ziller @teamziller
On Monday Kyrie did the quote thing: “… those who dare to be different lead us into tomorrow.”
THEORY: Kyrie knew he’d be mocked. KD was supposed to request a trade on Tuesday, proving Kyrie’s cryptic quote true and confirming KAI on a higher plane of consciousness than us 👁️ – 8:15 PM
Tommy Beer @TommyBeer
Brian Windhorst reports, on ESPN’s Free Agency special, that Kyrie is “focused” on joining the Lakers, adding, “Kyrie to the Lakers is very much back alive.” – 7:53 PM
NBA Math @NBA_Math
🗣EMERGENCY @HardwoodKnocks
📋 Kevin Durant Trade Request Reaction
🔘 Best KD trades
🔘 Future of the Nets
🔘 Kyrie trades
🔘 Ben Simmons trades(?)
🔘 MORE!
🎧 https://t.co/J0ddS05WaW
🍎 https://t.co/ZMBjCAsaXu
✳️ https://t.co/K6RQiCojj4
📺 https://t.co/RzkBQgrxjP pic.twitter.com/ybKrGFXW7V7:37 PM

Sam Quinn @SamQuinnCBS
My initial instinct based on the moves that the Lakers have made so far is that they plan to give Stanley Johnson real rotation minutes to open the season.
I’m fine with that if Kyrie Irving is their point guard. I’m not if Russell Westbrook is their point guard. – 7:32 PM
Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
Nets free agency Day 1 notebook including notes on KD, Kyrie, Donovan Mitchell and more.
nydailynews.com/sports/basketb…7:31 PM
Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
Going on I Am Athlete now to talk Kyrie/KD/Nets – 7:02 PM
Bill Ingram @TheRocketGuy
If I’m putting together an NBA team I wouldn’t touch Kyrie Irving or Kevin Durant with a 10-foot basketball goal. Give me some guys who want to play hard every night and fight to win even if you have to play through injuries. I’ll take my chances. #NBAFreeAgency7:00 PM
Salman Ali @SalmanAliNBA
“Where will Kyrie Irving play in 2022?” odds via @bookies.
The Rockets appear 4th at +750. pic.twitter.com/UxQ0ufIO9a6:22 PM

Kyle Goon @kylegoon
Brian Windhorst, taking a deep, deep breath, says on ESPN that league executives have “floated” that the Lakers could try to trade for KD and Kyrie as a package deal if the two are still interested in playing together. – 5:42 PM
Peter Vecsey @PeterVecsey1
Durant says he doesn’t want to play with Kyrie, Simmons or even Uncle Drew…or play for Steve Nash…or work for Sean Marks and Joseph Tsai… – 5:41 PM
Mirjam Swanson @MirjamSwanson
Hmmm. Brian Windhorst suggests the price for Kyrie Irving will be “so low” the Clippers might take a look. pic.twitter.com/QDnB7vNXbi5:38 PM

Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
Shams says Kyrie is fully supportive of Kevin Durant’s decision, and that the Nets want an all star caliber player and significant draft compensation in a Durant deal. – 5:33 PM
Adi Joseph @AdiJoseph
I don’t know a single person who became a Nets fan because they got Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, but I see the straw men are getting burned on the timeline today. – 5:23 PM
Adam Zagoria @AdamZagoria
Now on @njdotcom
NBA rumors: Kyrie Irving wants to re-join LeBron James with the Lakers ‘as soon as he possibly can’ nj.com/sports/2022/06…5:20 PM
Sam Quinn @SamQuinnCBS
I think we’re going to hear Kyrie Irving linked to Dallas now because Jalen Brunson is leaving whether or not the Mavericks are really interested.
They might be, but even if they aren’t, it behooves the Nets to pretend there are serious suitors just for leverage with the Lakers. – 5:11 PM
Sam Amick @sam_amick
Everything you need to know about the Kevin Durant sweepstakes, at @TheAthletic
Intel and insight on possible destinations, the Brooklyn fallout, the Kyrie Irving component and more, with @John Hollinger, @Joe Vardon and @Alex__Schiffer
theathletic.com/3393459/2022/0…5:06 PM
Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
I wanna see KD and Kyrie get traded together just to see how in the hell a team matches $79.5M in salary in a trade. – 4:56 PM
Tom Westerholm @Tom_NBA
There is absolutely no reason for the Nets to accommodate KD and Kyrie by trading them to the same team and also no reason a team would want both of them. – 4:54 PM
Jake Fischer @JakeLFischer
“This gives the Lakers their best chance at Kyrie.”
On Kevin Durant’s desired landing spots in Phoenix and Miami, what Brooklyn will need to part with the Hall of Famer, and a how this could help Los Angeles’ quest to land Kyrie Irving, all at @BR_NBA: bleacherreport.com/articles/10040…4:44 PM
Nick Friedell @NickFriedell
“We’re that good”
Harden said on Jan 12 after the Nets, with KD/Kyrie, dominated the Bulls.
Just over 5 months later — Brooklyn’s title hopes are gone. This team packed more drama into 5 months than most teams do in 5 years. And the drama ultimately overwhelmed the organization – 4:37 PM
Emiliano Carchia @Sportando
Mavericks expected to “aggressively” pursue Kyrie Irving
sportando.basketball/en/mavericks-e…4:27 PM
Greg Dickerson @gregdickerson13
I won’t feel badly for Any team that eventually trades for kyrie, they will get exactly what they deserve…they should know better – 4:20 PM
Steve Bulpett @SteveBHoop
People were thinking Kevin Durant would be staying put in Brooklyn once Kyrie opted in to the final year of his contract with the Nets…
But KD decided to get a little “Rowdy” pic.twitter.com/UpGkHPie6n4:06 PM

Alex Raskin @RaskinDailyMail
Sacramento should offer a second-round pick and salary filler for Kyrie Irving just to see how mad the #Nets are at him – 4:00 PM
Chris Sheridan @sheridanhoops
With Kevin Durant’s trade request, Brooklyn #Nets immediately dropped from 7-1 to 25-1 to win 2023 #NBA championship. (Should be 100-1). #Clippers still co-favorites with #Warriors and #Suns for title. Durant remains 10-1 to win MVP. Kyrie Irving 100-1 and higher. – 3:58 PM
James Boyd @RomeovilleKid
The fallout from Kyrie Irving remaining unvaccinated has been remarkable, honestly. – 3:53 PM
NBA Math @NBA_Math
Got thoughts on the Kevin Durant trade request? The Nets? Kyrie Irving?
COME SHARE THEM WITH @HardwoodKnocks ⬇️
https://t.co/kDfeozzr1m pic.twitter.com/crX0mJcXZu3:50 PM

Tommy Beer @TommyBeer
Woj, on ESPN, says “it’s likely that not only Kevin Durant, but also Kyrie Irving, has played his last game with Brooklyn.” – 3:47 PM
Alan Hahn @alanhahn
Props to @Brian Windhorst for being all over the Nets stuff, from the Harden-Simmons deal to the franchise ready to accept losing KD for their hard stance with Kyrie. Windy knows, man! @ESPNNBA3:42 PM
Nick Wright @getnickwright
The Lakers getting Kyrie is now (as @Brian Windhorst has repeatedly said) a *very* real possibility.
Brooklyn doesn’t want him w/o Durant & there is going to be very little market for him unless it’s somewhere he wants to go. I’d imagine he ends up in DAL or LA. – 3:42 PM
Joe Cowley @JCowleyHoops
Congrats to Kyrie Irving, who has now killed his third organization … and counting … – 3:41 PM
Sam Quinn @SamQuinnCBS
Kyrie Irving is priority No. 1 for the Lakers right now, but…
I’ve settled on Mo Bamba as my favorite MLE target. I want to protect AD’s health by playing him at PF, but I also just think AD is gonna defend top wings better in the playoffs than any MLE player they could target – 3:38 PM
Jeff Eisenband @JeffEisenband
Kyrie: “I’m staying with the Nets.”
KD: pic.twitter.com/aP69QhbWVR3:35 PM

Aaron J. Fentress @AaronJFentress
So, let’s say the Nets trade Kyrie then trade Durant but not to Portland.
Then the Nets decide to deal Ben Simmons.
Should the Blazers get in on that? I say, absolutely. But DO NOT give up Anfernee Simons.
He is cheaper, a shooter, more mature and uses up one less m. – 3:34 PM
Nick Wright @getnickwright
LeBron & AD, PG13 & Kawhi, and KD & Kyrie teamed up in the same Summer.
The Lakers have been largely pilloried by the media in this era. They also won a Championship.
Meanwhile, KD/Kyrie & Kawhi/PG13 played a combined ZERO (0) Finals, or even Conference Finals, games together. – 3:31 PM
Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet
So is now the time to have the Kyrie Irving talk again or not yet – 3:30 PM
StatMuse @statmuse
Durant playoff win% with Steph:
— 78.6%
Kyrie playoff win% with LeBron:
— 75.0%
Durant playoff win% with Kyrie:
— 46.2% pic.twitter.com/jzuyz7632n3:26 PM

Emiliano Carchia @Sportando
No contact with the Nets from Durant and Irving since Kyrie opted into his deal
sportando.basketball/en/no-contact-…3:26 PM
Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
We’ve got:
@Chris Haynes reporting Kevin Durant has the Suns as his preferred destination
@Quinton Mayo reporting Deandre Ayton to the Suns rumors
– Myself among others reporting Kyrie Irving’s interest in going to the Lakers
What an organizational fumble. – 3:25 PM
Austin Krell @NBAKrell
Would hope the Nets faithful are willing to move off of Kyrie hill now. – 3:25 PM
Mark Deeks @MarkDeeksNBA
Maybe just keep KD and use the stretch provision on Kyrie. – 3:24 PM
Ira Winderman @IraHeatBeat
Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving trade rumors shuffle equation for Heat, NBA ahead of free agency. sun-sentinel.com/sports/miami-h…3:24 PM
Frank Isola @TheFrankIsola
Now we know why Kevin Durant had been so quiet the last few days and why he danced around the Kyrie situation on his “new media” podcast. – 3:24 PM
James Boyd @RomeovilleKid
Gotta think Kyrie trades are back on the table as well. – 3:23 PM
Alex Raskin @RaskinDailyMail
Never forget: #Nets signed an over-the-hill DeAndre Jordan to a four-year, $40 million deal before benching and trading Jarrett Allen to convince Durant and Irving to sign in Brooklyn. This team scuttled its own rebuilding plan for a Durant/Irving combo and got NOTHING. – 3:22 PM
Tommy Beer @TommyBeer
Kyrie: “See you in the fall!!”
KD:
pic.twitter.com/X6MKmW4eEi3:15 PM

Sam Quinn @SamQuinnCBS
Predictions:
– Kevin Durant to the Suns.
– Kyrie Irving to the Lakers.
– Ben Simmons to the Wolves.
– The most insane Western Conference we’ve ever seen. – 3:11 PM
Yaron Weitzman @YaronWeitzman
So, um, who does Kyrie get sent to after? – 3:11 PM
Andrew Sharp @andrewsharp
Kyrie: “See you in the fall. A11even.”
KD: “Wellllll…” – 3:09 PM

More on this storyline

 

Nets Daily: Nets will have to decide what to do financially very soon. The repeater tax will kick in in 2023-24 based on payroll the final regular season game. So if they want to tear it down to the studs and start over, they’d have to make those decisions now. -via Twitter @NetsDaily / July 1, 2022
Appearing this morning on ESPN’s “KJM,” Brian Windhorst cited a “high-90% chance” that the Nets will honor Durant’s trade request and said any deal involving Kyrie Irving will have to wait until Durant is moved. Irving only wants to go to the Lakers, but that means the Nets would have to take Russell Westbrook, who makes about $11MM more than Irving, and working out other compensation for Brooklyn won’t be easy. -via Hoops Rumors / July 1, 2022
Nets owner Joseph Tsai had already reached his limit, multiple sources told The Athletic, after years of injuries, off-court embarrassments and playoff failures were followed by threats leaked by Irving and Durant during Brooklyn’s contract negotiations with Irving. Tsai, 58, co-founder of Alibaba Group, China’s largest commerce retailer, was born in Taiwan, went to high school in New Jersey, has two degrees and four varsity letters (lacrosse) from Yale and is worth $9 billion, according to Forbes. -via The Athletic / July 1, 2022