Kyrie Irving Alomst Left Nets, Stigma Follows

Why Did Kyrie Almost Left Nets?

Was leaving the Brooklyn Nets in the offseason a possibility for Kyrie Irving? Irving was straightforward as he began his final season with the franchise, pausing before responding, “Yeah.”

Due to COVID regulations in New York, Irving, who caused significant controversy by refusing to get vaccinated against COVID-19 last season, missed significant amounts of the season. Irving asserted that the stigma surrounding him as a result of his lack of availability limited his possibilities for leaving the organization this off-season.

Kyrie Irving said during Monday’s media day that he nearly left the Nets and had other choices after his difficult contract negotiations this summer. But he acknowledged that they were scarce, largely as a result of his stigma.

Yes, Irving acknowledged, “but there weren’t many options because of this stigma whether or not I want to play, whether or not I’m going to be dedicated to the team — which was at times incredibly unjust. But because I wasn’t available, the timing was perfect for being able to blame me. Being in this setting and being able to get past last year is amazing right now.”

After a turbulent stretch for the franchise, there were rumours this off-season that Irving would want to depart Brooklyn. This was especially true after Kevin Durant asked for a trade. The point guard eventually decided to exercise his player option for the 2022–2023 campaign, keeping him with the Nets for an additional season.

He now believes that by being part of the squad right away, the stigma associated with him will begin to fade.

Kyrie Irving added fuel to the flames for this next season by calling last year’s sweep one of the few embarrassing moments of his career. Although he had hoped for a lengthy extension, he ultimately decided to sign on for the $36.5 million last year of his contract.

 

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