Kyrie Irving Will Play Out His Contract With Nets If He Doesn't Get Traded, Says NBA Insider

Kyrie Irving is a player that is well-known for his scoring ability, and he is currently one of the prominent stars for the Brooklyn Nets. Recently, he requested a trade from the franchise, which shocked a lot of people, as the Nets have done well this year and are viewed as a championship contender.

Though it is quite likely that the Brooklyn Nets will end up trading Kyrie Irving, it is also possible that they end up keeping him through the trade deadline to maximize their own chances of winning a championship. Though that would obviously be a gamble, keeping Kyrie Irving rather than trading him is the optimal move for the Nets if they are focused on this season specifically.

NBA insider Chris Haynes has recently reported that if the Brooklyn Nets were to keep him until the end of the season, Kyrie Irving would be willing to finish the year suiting up with the team, but would subsequently leave them in free agency.

He has informed the Nets that he will leave in free agency if he is not traded... I would tend to think that he would finish out the season... he would still co-operate and finish out his contract.

It is clear that Kyrie Irving is still willing to fulfill his contractual obligations to the Brooklyn Nets if retained past the trade deadline. However, the optimal move for the Nets is likely trading the star, as that way they can ensure he doesn't leave the team without getting them something in return.

Kyrie Irving Already Has Trade Suitors

There are a number of teams that have already expressed interest in acquiring Kyrie Irving. A recent report revealed that the Los Angeles Lakers and the Dallas Mavericks are teams that will discuss trading for the point guard.

The Lakers and Mavericks are among the teams Brooklyn is expected to engage in Kyrie Irving trade talks as next Thursday's 3 PM ET trade deadline approaches, league sources say.

It remains to be seen if either of the two teams will manage to get Kyrie Irving prior to the trade deadline, as he is an extremely coveted player as of right now. Notably, the Phoenix Suns were mentioned as suitors as well.

Hopefully, we see the Brooklyn Nets and Kyrie Irving come to a trade arrangement that benefits both parties. There are definitely some solid options out there that will help Irving, the Nets, and the franchise that is acquiring the star, and we'll see what happens in the future.