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USA Today Sports Media Group
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Kyrie Irving trying to create leverage with Nets?

A report from Shams Charania of The Athletic on Monday indicated that Kyrie Irving and the Brooklyn Nets have stalled in their conversations over their future together. The report indicated that the New York Knicks, Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers could emerge as alternatives for Irving if a deal cannot be replaced. “I will tell you what the league perceives that to be,” said Brian Windhorst of the report. “I don’t know what the source of the report was, but I’ll tell you what the league’s perspective is. The league’s perspective is that was an effort from Kyrie Irving’s side to create some leverage because one of the things that has developed here in the wake of the end of the season is that the Nets have appeared to draw a line in the sand with Kyrie. It is appropriate it is in sand because sand can be smoothed over very quickly. The Nets have drawn lines in the sand before.”
Source: RealGM

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Zach Lowe @ZachLowe_NBA
Lowe Post mega-podcast: Steve Kerr goes behind the scenes on Golden State’s title run, then ~49-minute-mark, @Jonathan Givony dishes on all things draft, Kyrie, trades, more:
Spotify: spoti.fi/3O99jdO
Apple: apple.co/3biyGv511:45 AM
Joe Vardon @joevardon
Wait, a Kyrie-LeBron reunion? Nothing can be ruled out, ever, regarding Irving, but here is a close look at how that went the last time, ⁦@The Athletictheathletic.com/3108705/2022/0…11:37 AM
Ira Winderman @IraHeatBeat
ASK IRA: Is there a path for Kyrie Irving to Heat? sun-sentinel.com/sports/miami-h…11:20 AM
Chris Mannix @SIChrisMannix
Column: A stalemate between Kyrie and the Nets was predictable. But the eventual outcome feels that way too si.com/nba/2022/06/21…11:07 AM
Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
So @mikegolicjr called me out for wearing hoochie daddy shorts THAT HE COULDN’T EVEN SEE to his podcast, but I broke down everything I knew/know about Kyrie Irving’s stalemate with the Nets on @GoJoShow. It runs deep and it cuts deep. Listen here:
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/goj…10:59 AM
Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
Been some early morning developments and it’s only Tuesday. Obviously yesterday was the latest in Kyrie Irving’s potential departure from Brooklyn. I suggested last week that adding Irving would be an abrupt shift that Clippers don’t have to do
theathletic.com/3364072/2022/0…9:21 AM
Jake Fischer @JakeLFischer
The gaps that can be bridged between Brooklyn and Kyrie Irving, what’s next for Charlotte after Kenny Atkinson’s about-face, more notes on John Collins, Sacramento, and other draft trade chatter, all at @BR_NBA: bleacherreport.com/articles/10039…9:14 AM
Kurt Helin @basketballtalk
Report: Kyrie Irving ran second practice after Nash finished his last season nba.nbcsports.com/2022/06/21/rep…9:00 AM
Tom Ziller @teamziller
The biggest variable in whatever happens between Kyrie and the Nets is how KD reacts.
Evidence from the past 3 years indicates where this is heading, unless something has dramatically changed. ziller.substack.com/p/how-kd-figur…8:51 AM
Tim Reynolds @ByTimReynolds
At this point, I’m expecting Kyrie to join LIV Golf. – 8:38 AM
Ian Begley @IanBegley
From earlier: last month, people around Kyrie Irving saw Knicks as potential destination for the point guard if his negotiations with Nets went awry; LAL broached idea of trading for Irving with LeBron James during 2021-22 season: on.sny.tv/gv3roJd8:24 AM
Ira Winderman @IraHeatBeat
Is there a path for Kyrie Irving to the Heat? Latest “Ask Ira” at sun-sentinel.com/sports/miami-h… plus more. – 8:13 AM
Steve Popper @StevePopper
Amid Kyrie hoopla, on a calmer path — Jaden Ivey’s potential could spur Knicks to trade up in NBA Draft newsday.com/sports/basketb… via @Newsday7:50 AM
Barbara Barker @meanbarb
Messy affair between Kyrie Irving and Nets gets worse newsday.com/sports/columni… via @Newsday10:01 PM
Tim Bontemps @TimBontemps
New ESPN story: Will Golden State keep its team together for a potential repeat? How will the Lakers bounce back? What will the Jazz do? What will happen with Kyrie and Harden?
Ten questions that will define the NBA offseason: espn.com/nba/story/_/id…8:16 PM
Bobby Marks @BobbyMarks42
Kyrie Irving and the Brooklyn Nets NEED each other! – Bobby Marks | Spor… youtu.be/iaksUAN0roY via @YouTube7:56 PM
Bobby Marks @BobbyMarks42
Joined @KevinNegandhi on @SportsCenter to talk Golden St. and Kyrie Irving + Brooklyn.
Bobby Marks believes Warriors’ championship window is STILL OPEN…at a … youtu.be/rAXUQKflGKY via @YouTube7:40 PM
Eric Pincus @EricPincus
With all the questions on Kyrie linked to the Lakers via @Shams Charania – or related to any team looking to open room – OKC can take on a ton of salary in June but not July. I’m sure if incentivized, they’d take on salary with their soon-to-be nonexistent cap space – 6:29 PM
Kamenetzky Brothers @KamBrothers
I’ll be on @ESPNLosAngeles w/@John Ireland from 1-4pm PT! Talking Kyrie-Lakers rumors, Beal-Lakers rumors, Warriors parade, Dodgers, Pixar characters, Only Fans accounts, and more. @champagnennuts joining us at some point! Listen up!!! AK – 4:17 PM
David Hardisty @clutchfans
The entitlement of some Lakers fans. In this KOC-Stein pod, an LA fan was asked if he actually thought they had the pieces for a Kyrie Irving trade.
“I think so. We can offer the Nets cap flexibility. We get rid of that Russ contract. They get a trade exception or something.” pic.twitter.com/e5tkTyvNla4:11 PM
StatMuse @statmuse
Duos that have played more games together than Durant and Kyrie:
45 – Dirk and Rondo
47 – Hakeem and Vince
48 – Rasheed and Iverson
48 – Nash and Kobe
53 – LeBron and Shaq pic.twitter.com/IzKKce6YQY3:58 PM
Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
In light of today’s Kyrie Irving news, here’s my story on the situation. Losing Irving for nothing, should it happen, would be bad, and a sign-and-trade with the interested teams has its own limitations, too. On Irving in the open market: theathletic.com/3374378/2022/0…3:43 PM
Kamenetzky Brothers @KamBrothers
For the sickos who like to watch, Monday’s @LockedOnLakers pod, YouTube version! Darvin Ham adds Chris Jent & (maybe?) Sheed, and the Lakers reportedly wanna flip Russ for Bradley Beal. (An appetizer for Tuesday’s inevitable Kyrie show!) @LockedOnNBAPods
youtube.com/watch?v=mD-q8x…3:35 PM
Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
It’s that time of year, so it’s double @FrontOfficeShow today! In the first episode @Trevor_Lane & I talked Kyrie leaving BKN maybe, Beal made a decision (sort of), Atkinson backed out on CHA and more! Watch, like and subscribe below to stay in the know!
youtu.be/QWP3RqvKbLM2:26 PM
Kamenetzky Brothers @KamBrothers
Monday’s @LockedOnLakers podcast! We discuss Darvin Ham adding Chris Jent and (maybe?) Sheed to his staff, and the Lakers reportedly interested in Bradley Beal. (A warm up for the Kyrie rumors!) #FirstListen @LockedOnNetwork @LockedOnLakers
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dar…1:17 PM
Anthony Puccio @APOOCH
Kyrie, Big Face.. let’s talk twitter.com/i/broadcasts/1…12:51 PM
Steve Popper @StevePopper
So anyway, it’s lunchtime and already a story came out that Kyrie could seek a new team and the Knicks would be one of the possibilities and Jaden Ivey says the Knicks are a team he’s looking at – rather than the team picking at the spot he’s likely to be drafted. – 12:32 PM
Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
Going on @TheHerd with @ColinCowherd at 1:05 PM ET to talk about Kyrie – 12:12 PM

More on this storyline

As the June 29 deadline on Kyrie Irving’s $36.9 million player option for the 2022-23 season fast approaches, the Brooklyn Nets and the All-Star guard still have ground to cover for both sides to emerge content on extension conversations, sources told B/R. The Nets naturally prefer a shorter-term, incentive-laden agreement that includes benchmarks such as games played, sources said. Irving, having missed significant time because of injuries in recent seasons, has prioritized a longer-term contract. -via Bleacher Report / June 21, 2022
There is a path for Irving to decline his option and sign with New York as an unrestricted free agent. Part of the rumblings about Irving and the Knicks’ mutual interest is that head coach Tom Thibodeau is a fan of Irving. But New York would have to shed significant salary, sacrifice valuable draft capital in the process and still likely need to stretch a contract or two to free up the space to meet Irving’s near $40 million wages. -via Bleacher Report / June 21, 2022
The Knicks are widely regarded as a team looking to shed a number of contracts (such as those possessed by Alec Burks, Kemba Walker and Nerlens Noel) to create salary-cap space for the potential free-agent pursuits of Dallas’ Jalen Brunson and perhaps even (gasp) Brooklyn’s Kyrie Irving. Yet Monday night also delivered the strongest rumbles I’ve heard to date that a new multiyear deal to keep Mitchell Robinson in New York is looming. -via marcstein.substack.com / June 21, 2022

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