NBA Rumors: This is where the Nets stand on a potential Kyrie Irving trade

The Brooklyn Nets made a tough call when they decided not to let Kyrie Irving be a part-time player. He’s ineligible to play home games in New York due to the city’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for athletes.

Nets owner Joseph Tsai stated that the team would welcome Irving with open arms if he changed his stance on the vaccine. Needless to say, that hasn’t happened and isn’t likely to happen at all.

Irving seems willing to forfeit plenty of cash this season and doesn’t seem to care about the team’s championship aspirations. So, where does that leave the Nets when it comes to trading him?

NBA Rumors: Nets Are StillOpen To Trading Kyrie Irving

A couple of weeks ago, Jordan Schultz of Bleacher Report claimed that the Nets weren’t going to move on from Irving in the foreseeable future, although they were, in fact, fielding calls for him:

“Multiple teams continue reaching out to the Nets regarding a potential Kyrie Irving trade. Brooklyn however, is “clearly sitting tight” right now, as one WC executive tells me. In other words, even if the Nets were to move Irving, it wouldn’t be anytime soon,”reportedSchultz.

Now, Ian Begley of SNY added that the team is entertaining the idea of trading him away. However, they’re only receiving calls and not making them, sort of trying to keep some leverage:

“To that end, it’s worth noting that, as of late last month, Brooklyn remained open to talking trades involving Irving, per SNY sources,” said Begley. “ESPN reported in late October that the Nets were taking calls on potential Irving trades, but not making them. In the weeks following that report, several teams said Brooklyn has continued to take that approach with the All-Star guard.”

Irving has a long history of insubordination and he’s created trouble wherever he’s gone, so his trade value is uncertain at this point. But from a basketball standpoint, plenty of teams would be more than willing to roll the dice on the incredibly talented troublemaker.