"It was about the way Kyrie Irving treated his teammates, about the way Kyrie Irving treated his coaches" - NBA insider highlights Brooklyn Nets management's change in attitude towards Kyrie Irving

Kyrie Irving's decision to opt in to his player option with the Brooklyn Nets came amidst heavy speculation of the Nets trading him to the Lakers. Some reports even indicated that Irving would opt out and sign for the midlevel exception of $6 million.

ESPN's Brian Windhorst spoke about what Irving and the Nets really were at loggerheads about on "Get Up,":

"So, Joe Tsai, the owner, and Sean Marks, the general manager, made it clear that the status quo from last season is not acceptable. It wasn't just about the vaccine mandates, it was about the way Kyrie Irving treated his teammates, about the way Kyrie Irving treated his coaches."

"So, part of this renegotiation wasn't just going to be about a contract extension, it was going to be about a renegotiation about the way the team operated and by the way, this wasn't a Kyrie Irving issue, the team gave Irving all of this leverage the way they operated the last three years."

Due to New York's vaccine mandate, Irving was only able to play 29 games in the 2022 regular season. The Brooklyn Nets won their play-in game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, securing the 7th seed. They played the Boston Celtics in the first-round and were swept 4-0.

Kyrie Irving and the Nets make for a formidable team in the East, but the West is where the action will be at next season

Jonathan Kuminga, left, and Kyrie Irving, right.

If health doesn't perk up as an overwhelming issue, the Brooklyn Nets are a formidable team in the Eastern Conference.

However, the Western Conference is a going to be a different animal next season. The amount of parity being introduced by players returning from injury will make for an exciting season.

Kawhi Leonard is returning for the Clippers. Jamal Murray and Michael Porter are returning for the Nuggets. If Anthony Davis remains healthy, we will see him in action alongside LeBron James.

The Golden State Warriors, the defending champs, will only grow stronger. James Wiseman nears his return. Andrew Wiggins is now an established piece for the Warriors, too.