NBA Rumors: League hearsay indicates Kyrie Irving might end up staying in Brooklyn

Brooklyn Nets superstar Kyrie Irving's summer is being spent in contract talks with the Nets front office and ownership. It came to the point where the franchise was not willing to guarantee a contract for Irving. The guard then exercised his player-option for the upcoming season, in the hopes of finding an exit from the organization.

Jake Fischer of The Bleacher Report has a different take. He is reporting that the 2016 NBA champion believes he will start the upcoming season with the Nets. This is despite Durant wanting a move away from the franchise.

"From my conversations with people in the league, seems pretty clear Kyrie’s accepting the fact that he is overwhelmingly likely to be back in Brooklyn," Fischer said.

Recent reports have suggested that the Nets are keen on resolving Kevin Durant's future first and then switching their attention toward Irving. The Los Angeles Lakers have been actively pursuing Irving, with LeBron James keen on a reunion with his 2016 championship running mate.

With the season set to begin in October, like usual, there is a lot of time for the Nets to find an acceptable trade for Irving and thereby for the player to get his move from the franchise. However, as time winds down, the likelihood of Irving being at the Nets' training camp increases.

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Kyrie Irving's three seasons with the Brooklyn Nets

Boston Celtics v Brooklyn Nets - Game Three

When the Brooklyn Nets landed Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in the summer of 2019, they appeared to be a new NBA powerhouse, especially in the Eastern Conference. The Nets were the team to beat once Durant returned to action after rupturing his Achilles in the NBA finals earlier that year.

Fast forward to the summer of 2022. All the Brooklyn Nets have to show for these top-tier acquisitions is one series win in the postseason last year against the Boston Celtics. To make matters worse, the Nets added James Harden to play alongside Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, branding themselves as heavy championship favorites.

Irving, in his three seasons with the Nets, has played more than 30 games in just one season. His scoring output, however, has been tremendous; he is averaging 27.1 points on a nightly basis for Brooklyn, but availability continues to be the biggest issue regarding the guard. Irving has consistently missed games for non-injury reasons.

This summer has been nothing but a soap opera, regarding Kyrie Irving and the Brooklyn Nets, much like his three years with the franchise. The talking point has hardly ever been about the exploits inside the court. As things continue to unravel, the Nets have been handed a disgruntled player in Irving who is keen on a move elsewhere.