Brooklyn Nets Rumors: All-Star Point Guard Threatens Retirement If Traded

Trouble may be brewing within the Brooklyn Nets as Kyrie Irving’s name has become a focal point of trade rumors.

“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,” said Fox Sports analyst Nick Wright in a tweet.

This news comes off as a bit of a shock as Irving’s name has rarely been reported in trade rumors in an offseason dominated by speculation over the future of Ben Simmons with the Philadelphia 76ers.

However, Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee did report that Irving could be the centerpiece in a trade involving Simmons last July.

Shockingly enough, the seven-time All-Star decided to respond to Wright’s claims, calling him a “puppet” while tweeting an image of the said object.

It did not stop there as Wright replied directly to Irving’s tweet.

“Kyrie [Irving], if you’re saying you didn’t say you’d retire if you were traded, then your beef is with your representation, not with me, because you and I both know that’s what they’ve told people,” said Wright.

Nets general manager Sean Marks said in August that the organization was “very confident” that they would get both Irving and All-Star backcourt mate James Harden to sign new deals after Kevin Durant agreed to a four-year, $194.2 million extension.

“Kyrie [was in] very positive spirits. You know, it was a bad ankle sprain, there's no question there, so that set him back and he's recovering but he's progressing well and he's back in the gym I have no doubt, by the time training camp rolls around and even prior to that, that guys will have been together and been live on the court together and playing together and working out,” said Marks via CBSSports’ James Herbert.

Thanks to Irving’s response, Nets fans may have a sense of clarity as to what happens next to their All-Star point guard.

The Nets were extremely close to an NBA Finals appearance after Kevin Durant’s Herculean effort in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Milwaukee Bucks but fell short in a last-ditch attempt to win the game in regulation.