One day after he reportedly requested a trade ahead of next week’s deadline, the Nets will hold point guard Kyrie Irving out of Saturday’s game against the Wizards.
The team’s injury report lists him out with “right calf soreness,” per Sports Illustrated‘s Howard Beck.
News of Irving’s trade request was broken by Shams Charania of The Athletic on Friday afternoon. He says that Irving intends to walk in free agency this offseason if he isn’t granted a trade ahead of Thursday’s 3 p.m. ET deadline. Charania reports that Irving and the Nets have been unable to come to an agreement on stipulations in recent contract extension discussions.
Irving, in his fourth year with Brooklyn, has thrived on the court. Voted as a starter in the upcoming All-Star Game, he has played in 40 games so far this season, averaging 27.1 points, 5.3 assists and 5.1 rebounds. The year has not come without drama surrounding Irving, though, as he was suspended by Brooklyn in November following his promotion of an antisemitic film and book on social media, and his failure to adequately apologize for the post.
The Lakers, Mavericks, Suns and Heat are among the teams cited as potential trade partners as the Nets open up talks over the next few days, per various reports. L.A., home to Irving’s former Cavaliers teammate LeBron James, has been connected to the point guard as a potential destination since the summer, when his future with Brooklyn was also considered in flux.
Brooklyn, which is currently in fourth place in the Eastern Conference at 31–20, hosts Washington at 6 p.m. ET on Saturday evening.
