Before the season started, Nets’ superstar Kyrie Irving made it clear that he will not be receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. Irving’s stance has begged many questions for the Nets and several rumors surrounding Irving’s status with the team have come to surface.
Reporting on NBA Countdown on Ben Simmons and Kyrie Irving. pic.twitter.com/tBwxrljKZp
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) October 22, 2021
Several have speculated a trade between the Nets and the Philadelphia 76ers involving Irving and Ben Simmons; however, this past Friday, Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the two teams were not having talks regarding their respective superstars. Both teams are having issues with their superstars, so talks about a potential trade in the future may still be in the picture. A trade between the Nets and 76ers would be very logical for both organizations as Irving would be able to play in Philadelphia, which has no vaccine mandate for athletes, and Simmons would join the Brooklyn squad, which gives him the opportunity to officially cut ties with the 76ers.
Woj has also reported that while Nets aren’t actively seeking out Irving trades, they are still actively taking calls with other teams. As of now, there is no indication that Philadelphia has been in contact with the Nets, according to Woj. There may be a variety of reasons that the 76ers have not reached out to the Nets including a simple lack of interest in Irving due to Irving’s own lack of interest in playing for Philadelphia. The Nets will likely have a difficult time finding a player in an Irving trade as talented as Simmons, which should cause some concern for the Nets organization.
If Kyrie were to be traded by the Nets, there is no doubt that one of Irving’s best friends and superstar teammate, Kevin Durant, would feel some disappointment in how the Nets handled the situation. It is also clear that Durant has not been the happiest with Irving’s willingness to sit out the season.
This situation is quite tough for the Nets and they must be able to keep their current players happy while prioritizing a run at the championship as well.
