Kyrie Irving Trade Rumors: Kevin Durant has given Brooklyn Nets the go-ahead to trade the enigmatic point guard
Kyrie Irving's vaccination refusal has led to NBA trade rumors about his exit, It now looks like the Brooklyn Nets might trade the superstar point guard if he doesn't comply with New York City's COVID-19 vaccination rules. They reportedly have the go-ahead from Kevin Durant, one of their key players, for the same.
Irving has been practicing with the Nets recently. But a statement by the Brooklyn Nets confirmed that he would only be considered for full-time participation. So the franchise won't allow him to just practice and play away games.
On the latest episode of the popular basketball show First Things First, Chris Broussard told analyst Nick Wright that the Nets are exploring the possibility of trading Irving: He said:
"When the Nets were shopping Kyrie, KD said OK; I am fine with that. I did not report at the time, but to me, this move confirms that. Because they do not do this if Kevin Durant says do not do this."
Wright continued:
"But what Kevin understood, what Broussard understood, what I understood is that you cannot win this way. With James Harden, with Kevin Durant, if you get the right brakes, you win the whole thing."
The Brooklyn Nets have the best roster in the NBA, on paper. However, Irving's actions have brought an air of instability to the team. A recent report has suggested that Irving is stalling his vaccination because he is irked by the prospect of people losing jobs because of the vaccine mandate. There remains the possibility of him taking the vaccine soon, though.
"When the Nets were shopping Kyrie, KD said, ‘OK, I’m fine with that.’ I didn’t report it then, but to me this move confirms that. ... This was only step 1. Step 2 for the Nets is to find a team that is not turned off by Kyrie’s threat to retire & trade him." — @getnickwright https://t.co/DznZKbs7cw
The Brooklyn Nets remain formidable opponent even without Kyrie Irving
Even if Kyrie Irving is traded or decides not to play in the 2021-22 NBA season, the Brooklyn Nets will remain the team to beat. A guard-forward partnership between James Harden and Kevin Durant is one of the best tandems in the league. They are arguably the two best scorers in the league as well.
Multiple sources with direct knowledge of Kyrie Irving’s decision have told The Athletic that Irving is not anti-vaccine and that his stance is that he is upset that people are losing their jobs due to vaccine mandates.
More from @ShamsCharania: bit.ly/3oXIoIq https://t.co/MNGExxsRLG
Durant almost single-handledly willed the Nets to the Eastern Conference final in the 2021 NBA playoffs.
He did so against the Milwaukee Bucks despite both Kyrie Irving and James Harden out due to injury. With a supporting cast that includes Harden and veterans like Patty Mills, Blake Griffin, LaMarcus Aldridge and Paul Millsap, Durant could be virtually unplayable in the upcoming NBA season.
However, the Brooklyn Nets would still like to reach an amicable settlement with Kyrie Irving, who remains one of the best players in his position in the league.
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