Kyrie Irving opts in with Nets, but that doesn’t mean he’s staying
SportsPulse: USA TODAY Sports’ Jeff Zillgitt breaks down the latest news that Kyrie Irving will exercise his player option with the Brooklyn Nets, but explains how that doesn’t necessarily means he won’t relocate this season.
SportsPulse, USA TODAY
Amidst a hectic NBA offseason headlined by a looming Kevin Durant sweepstakes, commissioner Adam Silver weighed in.
Appearing at a news conference at the annual NBA Board of Governors meeting, Silver discussed Durant requesting a trade just days before his four-year, $198 million contract extension with the Brooklyn Nets was set to kick in. Considered by many to be an extremely pro-player commissioner, Silver said this kind of behavior is not good for the league.
“Look, this needs to be a two-way street. Teams provide enormous security (and) guarantees to players,” said Silver. “The expectation is, in return, that they’ll meet their end of the bargain. I’m realistic that there’s always going to be conversations that go on behind closed doors between players, their representatives, and the teams, but we don’t like to see players requesting trades. We don’t like to see it playing out the way it is.”
During NBA All-Star Weekend in February, Silver reiterated his unhappiness with public trade demands from players. His comments came off the heels of the Philadelphia 76ers acquiring James Harden via trade from the Nets, who acquired Harden from the Houston Rockets in January of 2021. The Nets are also reportedly fielding trade offers for Kyrie Irving, who missed 53 games this past season due to his decision not to get vaccinated.
According to Silver, this is an issue that will feature prominently in the next round of collective bargaining negotiations between the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association. The current agreement is set to expire upon the conclusion of the 2023-2024 season.
“It’s one of those issues that, as we move into this collective bargaining cycle, which we’re just beginning now, we intend to discuss with our Players’ Association and see if there are remedies for this,” he said. “As I said, it’ll never be the case where players won’t be unhappy in certain situations, but we don’t want to see it playing out the way it is now. I think it is something where there’s mutuality in interest between players collectively and the league and having more stability.”
