Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Kyrie Irving would 'retire' if Nets tried to trade him?

By Zac Wassink | Last updated 9/15/21

Brooklyn Nets superstar guard and one-time NBA champion Kyrie Irving can be an enigmatic figure, particularly as it pertains to his social media use, but Irving nevertheless seemed to commit at least his immediate future to his current employer via an Instagram post shared last month:

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A post shared by Kai (@kyrieirving)

According to Nick Wright of Fox Sports, Irving is so serious about remaining in Brooklyn that he would consider retiring as an active player if the Nets try to trade him ahead of the 2021-22 season.

Some NBA news:

There are a handful of Kyrie trades that potentially make sense for the Nets, Kyrie’s agents have made it known that Kyrie would simply *retire from the NBA* if Brooklyn were to trade him.
— nick wright (@getnickwright) September 15, 2021

Irving and company failed to win the title for 2020-21 more so because of injuries than because of any off-the-court issues involving the 29-year-old and teammates such as Kevin Durant and James Harden, and there's little reason the Nets should want to break this "big three" up ahead of the fall months.

According to Ky Carlin of Sixers Wire, the previously mentioned Wright recently suggested the Philadelphia 76ers should offer All-Star guard Ben Simmons to the Nets for Irving.

"I know this won’t happen, but as someone who has shorted the stock of the Nets, and been right, telling you right now Ben for Kyrie, if personalities weren’t a thing, basketball-wise, makes so much sense for Brooklyn, makes them an overwhelming favorite in the East," Wright said at that time. "Overwhelming and maybe overwhelming favorite overall, but that’s not happening because of the relationships."

In short, the Nets likely wouldn't receive equal value for Irving, and Irving allegedly doesn't want to go anywhere.

Training camp is approaching, but the NBA "silly season" isn't quite finished yet.

Zac Wassink is a football and futbol aficionado who is a PFWA member and is probably yelling about Tottenham Hotspur at the moment. Erik Lamela and Eli Manning apologist. Chanted for Matt Harvey to start the ninth inning of Game 5 of the 2015 World Series at Citi Field. Whoops. You can find him on Twitter at @ZacWassink.

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