{"id":10801,"date":"2023-02-06T06:33:00","date_gmt":"2023-02-06T06:33:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2023\/02\/06\/joe-tsai-refuses-to-bow-to-kyrie-irvings-demands-to-join-la-lakers\/"},"modified":"2023-02-06T06:33:00","modified_gmt":"2023-02-06T06:33:00","slug":"joe-tsai-refuses-to-bow-to-kyrie-irvings-demands-to-join-la-lakers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2023\/02\/06\/joe-tsai-refuses-to-bow-to-kyrie-irvings-demands-to-join-la-lakers\/","title":{"rendered":"Joe Tsai refuses to bow to Kyrie Irving\u2019s demands to join LA Lakers"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Brooklyn Nets owner Joe Tsai wasn\u2019t about to bow to the commands of wantaway superstar Kyrie Irving.<\/p>\n

Irving rocked the NBA landscape when his trade demand to get out of Brooklyn was revealed. Less than 48 hours later the star guard was sent on his way.<\/p>\n

Watch an average of 9 LIVE NBA Regular Season games per week on ESPN on Kayo Sports on ESPN on Kayo Sports. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now ><\/a><\/b><\/i><\/p>\n

Irving had reportedly threatened to sit out the remainder of the season if his demand to be traded was not met.<\/p>\n

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Mon, 06 Feb<\/p>\n

Monday February 6th<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Teams scrambled to get their best offers in with many pundits believing the Los Angeles Lakers would sweep him up and partner Irving up once again with LeBron James.<\/p>\n

Landing in California to be alongside \u201cThe King\u201d was said to be the top priority for Irving, but Tsai wasn\u2019t having it.<\/p>\n

NBA reporter Marc Stein stated <\/a>that one of Tsai and the Nets\u2019 main objectives was to not comply with Irving\u2019s preferences and send him anywhere other than the Los Angeles Lakers.<\/p>\n

The Lakers reported packaged an offer of Russell Westbrook and two first round picks, but the Nets hit back asking for a kings ransom before ultimately shipping him off to Dallas.<\/p>\n

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Ben Simmons and Kyrie Irving. Photo by Mitchell Leff\/Getty Images.<\/span>Source: Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Mavericks sent Dorian Finney-Smith, Spencer Dinwiddie, a 2029 first round draft pick and two second round picks in exchange for Irving and Markieff Morris. <\/p>\n

Finney-Smith went undrafted out of the University of Florida in 2016 before being picked up by the Mavericks.<\/p>\n

The 6\u20197 forward is averaging 9.1 points and 4.7 rebounds on the season so far. <\/p>\n

Dinwiddie was taken with the 38th overall pick in the 2014 draft by Detroit, and returns to Brooklyn, having had a five-year stint there between 2016 and 2021 before an ACL injury. <\/p>\n

Irving had reportedly threatened to sit out the rest of the season if he was not traded, according to Stephen A. Smith on NBA Countdown.<\/p>\n

\u201cKyrie Irving is prepared to sit out the rest of the season if need be,\u201d Smith said before the Mavericks trade was locked in. <\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s what I\u2019m being told.\u201d<\/p>\n

With Irving eligible for a two-year extension now, or a four-year deal in the summer, Dallas will have \u201cclose to max salary cap space\u201d this coming offseason if they do not commit to Irving long-term, according to Tim MacMahon from ESPN. <\/p>\n

Irving is the only incoming All-Star on an expiring contract this year, and so not committing would free up Dallas to either overpay to lock up an in-demand free agent of their choice, possibly Minnesota\u2019s D\u2019Angelo Russell, who is averaging 18.1 points and 6.2 assists on the season, or remain flexible with their expenditure. <\/p>\n

Irving had been seeking around a four-year $198.5 maximum extension, according to ESPN. <\/p>\n

Trade talks with the Lakers were reportedly quite advanced, but the Nets opted to go with the Mavericks\u2019 package, which provided immediate cover for Irving at point guard, as well as future draft picks.<\/p>\n

Irving\u2019s time in Brooklyn has been turbulent since he signed in free agency in July 2019. <\/p>\n

After becoming the ninth player in NBA history to join the 50-40-90 club and the fourth to do so while averaging 25 points a game, Irving refused to be vaccinated against Covid-19, preventing him from playing or practising with the Nets for a two-month stretch. <\/p>\n

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Mavericks\u2019 All-Star Luka Doncic (pictured centre) will finally have the second superstar he needs to challenge for an NBA title. (Photo by Christian Petersen \/ GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA \/ Getty Images via AFP)<\/span>Source: AFP<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The eight-time All-Star eventually returned to the Nets as a part-time player, only playing games outside of the New York and Toronto area, where local laws required him to be vaccinated in order to play. <\/p>\n

The 30-year-old requested and was granted permission to seek a sign-and-trade last year, but eventually returned to the Nets alongside 13-time All-Star teammate Kevin Durant, opting into a US$37 million player option. <\/p>\n

Then-Nets shooting guard James Harden also asked to be traded ahead of the deadline last season, ending up in Philadelphia.<\/p>\n

In November last year, the Nets suspended Irving again for refusing to \u201cunequivocally say he has no antisemitic beliefs\u201d after he took to Twitter to share a link to an antisemitic 2018 documentary entitled \u201cHebrews to Negroes\u201d. <\/p>\n

He is averaging 27.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 5.3 assists on the season, shooting 48.6% from the field and 37.4% from deep. <\/p>\n

The Nets enter the trade deadline placed 4th in the Eastern Conference. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n