The New York Knicks will keep tabs on Kyrie Irving as free agency approaches, but the superstar guard might have eyes for the Brooklyn Nets.
As the NBA playoffs rage on, New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets fans are looking to free agency. Both the Knicks and Nets will be players in free agency and Kyrie Irving is one of the biggest names on the market.
According to Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News, at least one source believes Irving prefers Brooklyn to New York.
“Some plugged-in to the NBA claim Irving will strongly consider Brooklyn as a free-agent destination,” Bondy writes, “with one source saying the 27-year-old prefers the Nets to the Knicks.”
Nets fans can rejoice in this news, but ultimately, it doesn’t mean much. How the Boston Celtics do in the playoffs will likely play a major role in Irving’s free agency decision.
Moreover, the Nets might choose to go in a different direction than Irving. Brooklyn has a glaring need for a wing and they’ll likely be interested in Kawhi Leonard and Kevin Durant. Additionally, D’Angelo Russell’s restricted free agency throws another curveball into the mix.
If nothing else, Irving’s interest in Brooklyn signals a change in how the league views the Nets. Rather than a long-running joke throughout the league, Brooklyn has become a viable destination for marquee free agents.
That being said, if Brooklyn doesn’t capitalize on their new reputation, none of this matters.
While Irving might give Brooklyn serious consideration, a pairing with Kevin Durant in Madison Square Garden might be tough to pass up.
